Advocates will need to be aware of statutes, court rules, standing orders, and cases that govern matters of procedure (including what needs to be filed and when) before administrative agencies and courts.
The Massachusetts Juvenile Court Department has general jurisdiction over children requiring assistance cases, care and protection petitions, delinquency, adult contributing to a delinquency of a minor cases, adoption, guardianship, termination of parental rights proceedings, and youthful offender cases. There are eleven divisions of the juvenile court with sessions in more than forty locations. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 218, § 57.
Department of Children and Families (DCF) issues informal and formal decisions about matters under its jurisdiction. Final decisions from the agency come from the DCF Fair Hearing Unit.
The Bureau of Special Education Appeals resolves disputes between parents/education decision-makers and schools through mediation, settlement conferences, and administrative appeals.
Decisions of the Department of Children & Families Fair Hearing Unit can be appealed to Superior Court.
