1. Confidentiality. Juvenile case records are confidential and may not be disclosed, disseminated or inspected except as expressly authorized by this Part. Juvenile case records open to public inspection may be inspected only at the courthouse. The court may not disseminate any juvenile case records, including those open to public inspection, to the public in any manner, including by any paper or electronic means.

[PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

Attorney's Note

Under the Maine Revised Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class A crimeup to 30 yearsup to $50,000
For details, see Me. Rev. Stat. Title 17-A § 1604
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Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3308-C

  • Adjudicatory hearing: means a hearing to determine whether the allegations of a petition under chapter 507 are supported by evidence that satisfies the standard of proof required. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Administration of juvenile justice: includes the collection, storage and dissemination of juvenile case records and juvenile intelligence and investigative record information relating to the administration of juvenile justice. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Adult: means a person 18 years of age or over. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Disclosure: means the transmission of information contained in juvenile case records by any means, including orally, in writing or electronically, upon request. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Dissemination: means release of, transmission in any manner of and access to information contained in juvenile case records expressly authorized by statute, executive order, court rule, court decision or court order. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Facility: means any physical structure. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Guardian: means a person lawfully invested with the power, and charged with the duty, of taking care of a person and managing the property and rights of the person, who, because of age, is considered incapable of administering the person's own affairs. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Inspection: means access to and review of juvenile case records in a manner prescribed by the Supreme Judicial Court. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Juvenile: means a person who had not attained 18 years of age at the time the person allegedly committed a juvenile crime. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Juvenile case records: means all records, regardless of form or means of transmission, that comprise a juvenile court file of an individual case, including, but not limited to, court-generated information, information and documents filed by filers, transcripts of depositions, hearings, proceedings and interviews, documentary exhibits in the custody of the clerk of the court, electronic records, videotapes and records of other proceedings filed with the clerk of the court. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Juvenile Court: means the District Court exercising the jurisdiction conferred by section 3101. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Juvenile crime: has the meaning set forth in section 3103. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Legal custodian: means a person who has legal custody of a juvenile. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Legal custody: means the right to the care, custody and control of a juvenile and the duty to provide food, clothing, shelter, ordinary medical care, education and discipline for a juvenile, and, in an emergency, to authorize surgery or other extraordinary care. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Municipality: includes cities, towns and plantations, except that "municipality" does not include plantations in Title 10, chapter 110, subchapter IV; or Title 30?A, Part 2. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Order of adjudication: means any document, including but not limited to a judgment and commitment order including conditions of juvenile probation if imposed, any dismissal form or any written order that constitutes the final disposition of a juvenile petition. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Parent: means either a natural parent or the adoptive parent of a juvenile. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Probation: means a legal status created by court order in cases involving a juvenile adjudicated as having committed a juvenile crime that permits the juvenile to remain in the juvenile's own home or other placement designated by the Juvenile Court subject to revocation for violation of any condition imposed by the court. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 3003
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
2. Juvenile petitions open to public inspection. Unless Juvenile Court proceedings are suspended pursuant to section 3318?A, subsection 5, the following juvenile petitions are open to public inspection:
A. Any juvenile petition alleging a violation of Title 17?A, section 201, 202 or 203 if the juvenile charged had attained 13 years of age at the time of the alleged juvenile crime, if the Juvenile Court has found there is probable cause to believe the juvenile committed a juvenile crime that would be a violation of Title 17?A, section 201, 202 or 203 if the juvenile involved were an adult.

If the juvenile had not attained 13 years of age at the time of the alleged violation of Title 17?A, section 201, 202 or 203, the Juvenile Court may allow public inspection of the juvenile petition pursuant to paragraph C; [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
B. Any juvenile petition alleging a juvenile crime that would constitute a Class A crime if committed by an adult if the juvenile charged had attained 13 years of age at the time of the alleged juvenile crime if the Juvenile Court has found there is probable cause to believe the juvenile committed a juvenile crime that would be a Class A crime if the juvenile involved were an adult.

If the juvenile had not attained 13 years of age at the time of the juvenile crime that would constitute a Class A crime if committed by an adult, the Juvenile Court may allow public inspection of the juvenile petition pursuant to paragraph C.
A petition open to public inspection under this paragraph may be made confidential and not open to public inspection if, upon written request by a person to the Juvenile Court, and after notice to the juvenile and the juvenile’s parent or parents, guardian or legal custodian, the attorney for the juvenile and the office of the prosecuting attorney, and after a hearing in which the Juvenile Court considers the purposes of this Part, the juvenile’s interest in privacy, the alleged victim’s interest in privacy, the nature of the juvenile crime alleged and the characteristics of the juvenile and public safety concerns as outlined in section 3101, subsection 4, paragraph D, the court determines that the general public’s right to information does not substantially outweigh the juvenile’s interest in privacy or the alleged victim’s interest in privacy; and [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
C. Any petition alleging a juvenile crime that would constitute murder or a Class A crime if committed by an adult and the juvenile charged had not attained 13 years of age at the time of the alleged juvenile crime, or any petition alleging a juvenile of any age committed a juvenile crime that would constitute a Class B or C crime if committed by an adult, if:

(1) A written request is filed by any person with the Juvenile Court requesting that the juvenile petition be open to public inspection;
(2) The Juvenile Court has found there is probable cause to believe the juvenile committed a juvenile crime that would constitute murder, a violation of Title 17?A, section 204 or a Class A, B or C crime if the juvenile involved were an adult; and
(3) After notice to the juvenile and the juvenile’s parent or parents, guardian or legal custodian, the attorney for the juvenile, the office of the prosecuting attorney and the individual or entity requesting the juvenile petition be open to public inspection and a hearing in which the Juvenile Court considers the purposes of this Part, the juvenile’s interest in privacy, the alleged victim’s interest in privacy, the nature of the juvenile crime alleged and the characteristics of the juvenile and public safety concerns as outlined in section 3101, subsection 4, paragraph D, the court determines that the general public’s right to information substantially outweighs the juvenile’s interest in privacy and the alleged victim’s interest in privacy. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
D. In a juvenile petition alleging multiple juvenile crimes, the juvenile crime that would constitute the highest class of crime if the juvenile were an adult determines whether the petition is open to public inspection. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
The prosecuting attorney shall ensure that names and identifying information of any alleged victims are redacted before a petition is filed with the Juvenile Court.
If a request to allow public inspection of a petition under this subsection has been filed, the Juvenile Court shall advise the juvenile and the juvenile’s parent or parents, guardian or legal custodian that the request has been made and shall advise them of the juvenile’s right to be represented by counsel. The court may not allow the public to inspect a juvenile petition pursuant to paragraph C until authorized by court order.

[PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

3. Orders of adjudication open to public inspection. Orders of adjudication for any juvenile crime that would constitute murder or a Class A, B or C crime if the juvenile involved were an adult are open to public inspection. Orders of adjudication for all other juvenile crimes are confidential and not open to public inspection. When an order of adjudication reflects adjudications for both a juvenile crime that would constitute murder or a Class A, B or C crime if the juvenile involved were an adult and another juvenile crime or crimes not constituting murder or a Class A, B or C crime if the juvenile involved were an adult, the juvenile crime that would constitute the highest class of crime if the juvenile were an adult determines whether the order of adjudication is open to public inspection.

[PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

4. Dissemination of information contained in juvenile case records. The following provisions apply to the dissemination of information contained in juvenile case records.
A. For purposes of this subsection, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.

(1) “Administration of criminal justice” has the same meaning as in Title 16, section 703, subsection 1.
(2) “Criminal justice agency” has the same meaning as in Title 16, section 703, subsection 4.
(3) “Juvenile intelligence and investigative record information” has the same meaning as in section 3308?A, subsection 1, paragraph E. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
B. Nothing in this section precludes sharing of any information contained in juvenile case records by one criminal justice agency with another criminal justice agency for the purpose of administration of criminal justice, administration of juvenile justice or criminal justice agency employment. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
C. Nothing in this section precludes dissemination of any information contained in juvenile case records if:

(1) The juvenile has been adjudicated as having committed a juvenile crime;
(2) The information is disseminated by and to persons who directly supervise or report on the health, behavior or progress of the juvenile, the superintendent of the juvenile’s school and the superintendent’s designees, criminal justice agencies or agencies that are or might become responsible for the health or welfare of the juvenile as a result of a court order or by agreement with the Department of Corrections or the Department of Health and Human Services; and
(3) The information is relevant to and disseminated only for the purpose of creating or maintaining an individualized plan for the juvenile’s rehabilitation, including reintegration into a school.
Any information received under this paragraph is confidential and may not be further disclosed or disseminated, except as otherwise provided by law. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
D. Nothing in this section precludes dissemination of any information in the juvenile case records in the possession of the Department of Corrections if the person concerning whom the juvenile case records are sought, the juvenile, the person’s legal guardian, if any, and, if the person is a minor, the person’s parent or parents, guardian or legal custodian have given informed written consent to the dissemination of the juvenile case records. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
E. Except as expressly authorized by this section, juvenile intelligence and investigative record information, juvenile community corrections officers’ records and all other reports of social and clinical studies contained in juvenile case records may not be open to inspection and may not be disclosed or disseminated except with the consent of the Juvenile Court. The names and identifying information regarding any alleged victims and minors contained in the juvenile case records must be redacted prior to disclosure, dissemination or inspection.

The Juvenile Court may not order the disclosure, dissemination or inspection of juvenile case records unless the juvenile, the juvenile’s parent or parents, guardian or legal custodian and either the juvenile’s attorney or, if the juvenile does not have an attorney, the juvenile’s attorney of record and the prosecuting attorney are given notice of the request and an opportunity to be heard regarding the request. In deciding whether to allow the disclosure, dissemination or inspection of any portion of juvenile case records under this paragraph, the Juvenile Court shall consider the purposes of this Part and the reasons for which the request is being made and may restrict the disclosure, dissemination or inspection of the juvenile case records in any manner the court determines necessary or appropriate. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
F. When a juvenile who is adjudicated as having committed a juvenile crime that if committed by an adult would be gross sexual assault under Title 17?A, section 253, subsection 1 is committed to a Department of Corrections juvenile correctional facility or placed on probation, the Department of Corrections shall provide, while the juvenile is committed or on probation, a copy of the juvenile’s judgment and commitment to the Department of Health and Human Services, to all law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction in those areas where the juvenile resides, works or attends school and to the superintendent of any school in which the juvenile attends school during the period of commitment or probation. The Department of Corrections shall provide a copy of the juvenile’s judgment and commitment to all licensed day care facility operators located in the municipality where the juvenile resides, works or attends school during the period of commitment or probation. Upon request, the Department of Corrections shall also provide a copy of the juvenile’s judgment and commitment to other entities that are involved in the care of children and are located in the municipality where the juvenile resides, works or attends school during the period of commitment or probation. The Department of Corrections may provide a copy of the juvenile’s judgment and commitment to any other agency or person that the Department of Corrections determines is appropriate to ensure public safety. Neither the failure of the Department of Corrections to perform the requirements of this paragraph nor compliance with this paragraph subjects the Department of Corrections or its employees to liability in a civil action. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
G. Juvenile case records must be open to inspection by and, upon request, be disseminated to the juvenile, the juvenile’s parent or parents, guardian or legal custodian, the juvenile’s attorney, the prosecuting attorney and any agency to which legal custody of the juvenile was transferred as a result of an adjudication. Juvenile case records must also be open to inspection by and, upon request, be disseminated to the Department of Health and Human Services prior to adjudication if commitment to the Department of Health and Human Services is a proposed disposition. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

[PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

5. Victim access to juvenile case records. Notwithstanding confidentiality provisions of this section, the juvenile petition and order of adjudication may be inspected by:
A. The victim; [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
B. If the victim is a minor, the parent or parents, guardian or legal custodian of the victim; or [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
C. If the victim cannot act on the victim’s own behalf due to death, age, physical or mental disease or disorder or intellectual disability or autism or other reason, an immediate family member, guardian, legal custodian or attorney representing the victim. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, juvenile case records must be open to inspection by or may be disseminated to the Victims’ Compensation Board established in Title 5, section 12004?J, subsection 11 if a juvenile is alleged to have committed an offense upon which an application to the board is based.

[PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

6. Access to juvenile case records by other persons. With the consent of the Juvenile Court and subject to reasonable limitations to protect the identity, privacy and safety of 3rd parties, including, but not limited to, victims and other accused or adjudicated juveniles, and the interests of justice, juvenile case records, excluding the names of the juvenile and the juvenile’s parent or parents, guardian or legal custodian, the juvenile’s attorney or any other parties, may be inspected by or disseminated to persons having a legitimate interest in the proceedings or by persons conducting pertinent research studies.

[PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

7. Order following determination that juvenile case records are open to public inspection, disclosure or dissemination. Following a determination that a juvenile petition, order of adjudication or other juvenile case records are open to public inspection, disclosure or dissemination under this section, the Juvenile Court shall enter an order specifying which juvenile case records may be inspected, disclosed or disseminated and identifying the individual or agency granted access to those juvenile case records. The Juvenile Court may restrict the further disclosure, dissemination or inspection of the juvenile case records in any manner the court determines necessary or appropriate.

[PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

8. Records to Secretary of State. Whenever a juvenile has been adjudicated as having committed a juvenile crime involving the operation of a motor vehicle, or when the Juvenile Court has ordered a disposition pursuant to section 3314, subsection 3, 3?A, or 3?B that includes suspension of the juvenile’s right to operate a motor vehicle, the court shall transmit to the Secretary of State an abstract, duly certified, setting forth the name of the juvenile, the offense, the date of the offense, the date of the adjudicatory hearing and any other pertinent facts. These juvenile case records are admissible in evidence in hearings conducted by the Secretary of State or any of the Secretary of State’s deputies and are open to public inspection.
Nothing in this Part may be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary of State, pursuant to Title 29?A, to suspend a person’s driver’s license or permit to operate a motor vehicle, right to operate a motor vehicle or right to apply for or obtain a driver’s license.

[PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

9. Transmission of information about a committed juvenile. Information regarding a juvenile committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections or the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services must be provided as follows.
A. The Juvenile Court shall transmit with the commitment order a copy of the petition, the order of adjudication, copies of any social studies, any clinical or educational reports and information pertinent to the care and treatment of the juvenile. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
B. The Department of Corrections or the Department of Health and Human Services shall provide the Juvenile Court with any information concerning the juvenile committed to either department’s custody that the court at any time may request. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

[PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

10. Juvenile case records sealed. This subsection governs the sealing of juvenile case records of a person adjudicated as having committed a juvenile crime.
A. A person adjudicated as having committed a juvenile crime that, if the juvenile were an adult, would constitute murder or a Class A, B or C crime or operating under the influence as defined in Title 29?A, section 2411 may petition the Juvenile Court to seal from public inspection all juvenile case records pertaining to the juvenile crime and its disposition and any prior juvenile case records and their dispositions if:

(1) At least 3 years have passed since the person’s discharge from the disposition ordered for that juvenile crime;
(2) Since the date of disposition, the person has not been adjudicated as having committed a juvenile crime and has not been convicted of committing a crime; and
(3) There are no current adjudicatory proceedings pending for a juvenile or other crime. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
B. The Juvenile Court may grant the petition filed under paragraph A if the court finds that the requirements of paragraph A are satisfied, unless the court finds that the general public’s right to information substantially outweighs the juvenile’s interest in privacy. The juvenile has a right to appeal the court’s denial of the juvenile’s petition to seal as provided in chapter 509. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
C. At the time a person adjudicated to have committed a juvenile crime other than a crime listed in paragraph A is finally discharged from the disposition imposed for that juvenile crime, the court, upon receipt of appropriate notice of the discharge, shall within 5 business days enter an order sealing from public inspection all records pertaining to the juvenile crime and its disposition. Appropriate notice that the juvenile is discharged from the disposition:

(1) Must be provided to the court by the Department of Corrections if the juvenile’s disposition involved either commitment to the custody of a Department of Corrections juvenile correctional facility, a period of confinement not to exceed 30 days or any suspended disposition with a period of probation;
(2) Must be provided to the court by the office of the prosecuting attorney if disposition included restitution, community service or a restorative justice event and the court ordered that proof of completion of the obligation be provided to the office of the prosecuting attorney; or
(3) May be provided to the court by the juvenile or the juvenile’s attorney. If the notice is provided by the juvenile or the juvenile’s attorney, the juvenile or the juvenile’s attorney shall serve a copy of the notice on the office of the prosecuting attorney before the court may enter the order sealing the juvenile case records. In all juvenile cases adjudicated subsequent to January 1, 2000, but prior to January 1, 2022, the Juvenile Court may grant the request of the juvenile or the juvenile’s attorney for automatic sealing of all juvenile case records pertaining to the juvenile crime and its disposition when notice is provided to the court and the prosecuting attorney pursuant to this subparagraph.

When an order of adjudication includes multiple juvenile crimes, the juvenile crime that would constitute the highest class of crime if the juvenile were an adult determines whether a petition for sealing of juvenile records must be filed pursuant to paragraph A and a finding made pursuant to paragraph B before all juvenile case records pertaining to all of the juvenile crimes adjudicated may be ordered sealed.
When a juvenile petition alleges multiple juvenile crimes and the court holds separate hearings resulting in multiple orders of adjudication, the order of adjudication with the highest class of crime if the juvenile were an adult determines whether a petition for sealing of juvenile records must be filed pursuant to paragraph A and a finding made pursuant to paragraph B before all juvenile case records pertaining to all of the juvenile crimes adjudicated may be ordered sealed. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

D. Notwithstanding subsections 2 and 3, subsection 4, paragraphs C, D and F and subsections 5 and 6, a court order sealing juvenile case records pursuant to this subsection permits only the following persons to have access to the sealed juvenile case records:

(1) The courts and criminal justice agencies as provided by this section; and
(2) The person whose juvenile case records are sealed or that person’s designee. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]
E. Notice of the court’s order certifying its granting of the juvenile’s petition to seal juvenile case records pursuant to paragraph B or notice of the court’s order of automatic sealing pursuant to paragraph C must be provided to the Department of Public Safety, Bureau of State Police, State Bureau of Identification if the adjudication is for a juvenile crime the criminal records of which are maintained by the State Bureau of Identification pursuant to Title 25, section 1541. Notice of the order may be sent by electronic transmission. The State Bureau of Identification or the appropriate agency upon receipt of the notice shall promptly update its records relating to each of the juvenile adjudications included in the notice. [PL 2021, c. 701, §1 (AMD).]
F. A person whose juvenile case records are sealed pursuant to this subsection may respond to inquiries from other than the courts and criminal justice agencies about that person’s juvenile crimes, the juvenile case records of which have been sealed, as if the juvenile crimes had never occurred, without being subject to any sanctions. The sealing of a person’s juvenile case records does not remove or otherwise affect the prohibition against that person’s possessing a firearm pursuant to section 393. [PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

[PL 2021, c. 701, §1 (AMD).]

11. Unlawful dissemination of confidential juvenile case record information. Any person who intentionally disseminates information contained in confidential juvenile case records knowing it to be in violation of any provisions of this chapter commits a civil violation for which a fine of not more than $1,000 may be adjudged. The District Court has jurisdiction over violations under this subsection.

[PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 2021, c. 365, §19 (NEW). PL 2021, c. 365, §37 (AFF). PL 2021, c. 701, §1 (AMD).
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