State-by-state guide:

Kentucky

Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 610.070(3) (Michie 1998): Public is to be excluded from juvenile proceedings. However, persons that the judge determines have a direct interest in the case or the workings of the court may be admitted. In addition, persons agreed to by the child and his attorney may be admitted to the hearing.

Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 610.340 (Michie 1998): Juvenile court records are confidential and cannot be disclosed to anyone other than the parent, child or victims, unless a court order is issued for good cause.

Closure Order: Press can be denied access to juvenile records and excluded from hearing in circuit court case regarding a juvenile’s appeal from order declaring transfer statute unconstitutional. F.T.P. v. Courier- Jounal, 774 S.W.2d 444 (Ky. 1989)

Access denied: The Attorney General found that the disclosure of the fact that a juvenile was wounded during a shooting intruded upon the juvenile’s right to privacy. Accordingly, the Lexington, Ky. police acted properly in redacting her name and her mother’s name from an incident report disclosed to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Op. of Ky. Atty. Gen. No. 96-ORD-115.

Access denied: In September 1998, a trial judge ordered cameras and audio recording devices banned from the trial of Michael Carneal, who was charged with killing three schoolmates and wounding five others in December 1997. The judge cited the need to protect several potential juvenile witnesses and to prevent witnesses from dramatizing their testimonies. Kentucky v. Carneal, No. 97-CR-00350 (Ky. 2d Cir. Ct., order banning recording devices Aug. 12, 1998).