State-by-state guide:
Pennsylvania
Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. tit. 42 § 6336 (1998): In general, members of the public are to be excluded from all hearings, except for those persons who the court finds have a proper interest in the proceeding or in the work of the court. However, public access is required in all felony cases where the defendant is over 14, and where the defendant is over 12 in enumerated serious felony cases, including murder, voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, arson, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, kidnaping, rape, robbery, and carjacking. Moreover, the court shall have discretion to maintain the confidentiality of mental health records, medical records, juvenile institutional documents and juvenile probation reports.
Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. tit. 42 § 6307 (1998): Members of the public are not allowed to inspect court files unless a person obtains permission from the court and the court finds that he/she has a legitimate interest in the case or the court.
Access denied: Trial court erred in granting press and public access to juvenile proceeding based on state constitution, because statute that covers juvenile proceedings closes the proceedings to all persons except those who have a "proper interest" in the proceeding. In re Aikens, 8 Media L. Rep. 1222 (Pa. Sup. Ct. 1982).
Access denied: The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania held that the plaintiffs, who sought civil damages for the physical and sexual abuse which their daughter suffered at the hands of a foster child, were unable to gain access to dependency proceeding records. The term, "person with a legitimate interest in the proceedings" refers only to a person who has a direct involvement with the juvenile court proceedings or the events in question, in this case the dependency proceedings. The statutory exception to confidentiality does not extend to an unrelated civil plaintiff seeking information about the proceedings for purposes of prosecuting a personal injury lawsuit based on a separate incident involving the foster child. V.B.T. and C.E.T. v. Family Services of Western Pennsylvania, 705 A.2d 1325 (Penn. 1998).