Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 119, § 72 (2026)

Continuance of jurisdiction of courts in juvenile sessions

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 72. (a) The divisions of the juvenile court department shall continue to have jurisdiction over children who attain their eighteenth birthday pending final adjudication of their cases, including all remands and retrials following appeals from their cases, or during continuances or probation, or after their cases have been placed on file, or for any other proceeding arising out of their cases. Except as provided in subsection (b), nothing herein shall authorize the commitment of a person to the department of youth services after he has attained his twentieth birthday.

If a child commits an offense prior to his eighteenth birthday, and is not apprehended until between such child's eighteenth and nineteenth birthday, the court shall deal with such child in the same manner as if he has not attained his eighteenth birthday, and all provisions and rights applicable to a child under 18 shall apply to such child.

(b) If the commonwealth has proceeded by indictment, the divisions of the juvenile court department shall continue to have jurisdiction over such persons who attain their eighteenth birthday pending the final adjudication of their cases, including all remands and retrials following appeals from their cases, or pending the determination allowed under section 58, or during continuances or probation, or after their cases have been placed on file, or for any other proceeding arising out of their cases. Nothing herein shall authorize the commitment of a youthful offender to the department of youth services after he has attained his twenty-first birthday.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 37 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1976–2025 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Mogelinski, 1 N.E.3d 237 (Mass. 2013).

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Commonwealth v. Mogelinski, 1 N.E.3d 237 (Mass. 2013). · cites it 22× “Whether the term ‘apprehended’ as appearing in G. L. c. 119, § 72[,] and G. L. c. 119, § 72A[,] refers to the time when a complaint is issued against an individual, or to when an individual is summoned for arraignment, or when an individual voluntarily appears in response to a…”

Santiago v. Commonwealth, 693 N.E.2d 127 (Mass. 1998). · cites it 9× “See G. L. c. 119, § 72, as amended through St.”

Commonwealth v. Cole C., a Juv., 92 N.E.3d 733 (Mass. App. Ct. 2018). · cites it 9× “As noted, the Juvenile Court formerly had jurisdiction only over offenses committed before an alleged offender turned seventeen.”

Santiago v. Commonwealth, 697 N.E.2d 979 (Mass. 1998). · cites it 3× “See G. L. c. 119, § 72 (1994 ed.) (providing that Juvenile Court has no jurisdiction over a juvenile after his or her nineteenth birthday).”

Commonwealth v. Perez, 80 N.E.3d 967 (Mass. 2017). · cites it 2× “See G. L. c. 119, § 72, as amended through St.”

Commonwealth v. Fuller, 657 N.E.2d 1251 (Mass. 1995). · cites it 3× “488, § 7, to G. L. c. 119, § 72, requiring confinement of juveniles convicted of first degree murder for a period of from fifteen to twenty years.”

Commonwealth v. Fenton F., 809 N.E.2d 1005 (Mass. 2004). · cites it 3× “The defendant was sentenced to from fifteen to twenty years, *32 pursuant to G. L. c. 119, § 72, as amended through St.”

Commonwealth v. Mogelinkski, 473 Mass. 164 (Mass. 2015). · cites it 3× “’ G. L. c. 119, § 72 (a) (where proceeding commenced via delinquency complaint).”

Commonwealth v. Bart B., 679 N.E.2d 531 (Mass. 1997). · cites it 2× “See G. L. c. 119, § 72. 3 Consistent with our holding in Patrick P.”

Commonwealth v. Nanny, 971 N.E.2d 762 (Mass. 2012). · cites it 3× “See G. L. c. 119, § 72 (a) (Juvenile Court has jurisdiction over offender apprehended after seventeenth birthday but prior to eighteenth birthday).”

Patrick P. v. Commonwealth, 655 N.E.2d 377 (Mass. 1995). · cites it 4× “3 G. L. c. 119, § 72, as amended by St. 1991, c.”

Commonwealth v. Porges, 952 N.E.2d 917 (Mass. 2011). · cites it 2× “See G. L. c. 119, § 72 (Juvenile Court has jurisdiction over person over age of eighteen only where offense committed before person’s seventeenth birthday and person has been apprehended before eighteenth birthday); G.”

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— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 119, § 72(a) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. Ulysses H., 754 N.E.2d 736 (Mass. App. Ct. 2001).

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