Adopted Date: | 07/02/2025 |
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Effective Date: | 08/04/2025 |
Referenced Sources: | G.L. c. 211 B, § 10 |
Updates: | Issued July 2, 2025, effective August 4, 2025 |
Pursuant to my authority under G.L. c. 211 B, § 10, it is hereby ORDERED that Juvenile Court Standing Order 2-18 effective on November 5, 2018, is rescinded and superseded by this Standing Order.
This Standing Order is effective on August 4, 2025, and will remain in effect until a subsequent order issues rescinding this Standing Order.
The Juvenile Court Department has jurisdiction over a variety of criminal and civil case types including delinquency and youthful offender proceedings, child requiring assistance proceedings (CRA) and care and protection/termination of parental rights proceedings. The vast majority of cases addressed by the Juvenile Court fall within the parameters of these four case types. The Juvenile Court has jurisdiction, by statute, of matters ancillary to these four case types including guardianship petitions, parentage complaints, change of name petitions and adoption petitions.
The work of the Juvenile Court often reflects shifting community expectations and social science theory regarding children. Those shifts in expectations often unpredictably alter Juvenile Court caseloads.
The purpose of the time standards is to provide guidelines for application in the great majority of cases; it being understood that, as a matter of discretion in specific situations, a judge may extend time periods and vary requirements in the interest of justice. The time standards set forth below for the trial, settlement or other disposition of cases are applicable to cases filed in any division of the Juvenile Court Department on or after August 4, 2025. The benchmarks are not part of the time standards but are provided to offer guidance in achieving compliance with the standards.