State-by-state guide:
Massachusetts
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 119 § 65 (1998): Access to juvenile hearings is required in all cases where the state has proceeded by indictment. See News Group Boston, Inc. v. Commonwealth, 568 NE2d 600 (Mass. 1991) (holding that the press has right to attend juvenile court sessions involving juvenile charge with murder).
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 119 § 60A (1998): Records of juvenile proceeding conducted pursuant to an indictment shall be open to the public in the same manner and to the same extent as adult criminal court records. All other records of the court in cases of delinquency shall be withheld from public inspection except with the consent of a justice of such court. The probation officer is to make the child’s name available to the public if the child is 14 years old or older at the time the crime was committed and has been adjudicated delinquent on two prior occasions for acts for which he would have been imprisoned if he were 17 years or older, and the act he is currently charged with would be punishable by imprisonment if he were 17 years or older. See Doe v. AG, 680 N.E.2d 92 (Mass. 1997) (Records of youthful offender proceeded against by indictment are public).
Access Granted: The Massachusetts Supreme Court held that a newspaper should have full access to the court cases involving Robert and Andrea Berkowitz, who were charged with 10 counts of serving alcohol to a minor and with contributing to the delinquency of a minor after they allegedly served beer and liquor to their son and his friends at their home. The court held that the lower court’s order, which prevented the press from fully reporting on the cases, violated free-press rights and amounted to an "unlawful prior restraint." The court stated that the lower court failed to provide detailed findings of fact which would clearly show a compelling state interest. George W. Prescott Publishing Co. v Stoughton Division of the District Court, 701 N.E.2d 307 (Mass. 1998).
Forbidding publication: If a news organization legitimately obtains information about a juvenile offender or victim, the state cannot punish it for publishing the information. Globe Newspaper Co. v. Superior Ct., 423 N.E.2d 773 (Mass. 1981).