(G.L. c. 119, §§ 52-74, MA Rules of Criminal Procedure)
A.
Filing of complaint or indictment to adjudication/disposition (bench trial): Six months (180 days).
Indictment of a juvenile as a Youthful Offender proceeds only at the option of the District Attorney for whom there are no time requirements for the exercise of that option.
B.
Filing of complaint or indictment to adjudication/disposition (jury trial): Eight months (240 days).
Benchmarks
1.
Arraignment: within fifteen (15) days from the issuance of the complaint, unless the juvenile has been referred to diversion.
2.
Pre-trial Conference: within thirty (30) days from the arraignment.
The prosecuting attorney and defense counsel shall confer prior to the scheduled pretrial hearing in order to conference the case and to prepare a written pretrial conference report. In addition to those matters set forth in the Rules of Criminal Procedure, counsel shall also discuss whether the case can be disposed of by means of a plea and, if so, shall propose a date for a change of plea within the conference report. Special circumstances should be identified, including but not limited to: unavailability of victim or essential witness; information relating to the victim’s capacity to testify at trial within the time frame established by the standards; existence of multiple defendants; anticipated delays occasioned by necessary forensic or scientific testing (e.g. DNA testing, drug analysis, etc.); delays due to issues related to the juvenile’s competency, or the necessity for extended pretrial hearings such as those relating to the pretrial inspection of third party records or similar proceedings but not including motions to dismiss or motions to suppress statements, evidence, search warrants, or identifications.