No Plymouth County town can criminally enforce a juvenile curfew. In Commonwealth v. Weston W., 455 Mass. 24 (2009), the Supreme Judicial Court struck the criminal penalties of a minors' curfew; only civil enforcement such as a fine and parental notice survives.
Massachusetts counties have no ordinance power, and towns cannot criminally punish a minor for being out late. In Commonwealth v. Weston W., 455 Mass. 24 (2009), the Supreme Judicial Court held that criminal enforcement of a juvenile curfew fails strict scrutiny because it is not the least restrictive means and undercuts the goal of rehabilitating rather than incarcerating juveniles. The court left intact only the civil enforcement provisions, such as a modest fine and notice to a parent. So a South Shore town like Brockton may keep a curfew on the books, but police cannot arrest, charge, or commit a minor for violating it. A minor out late in Plymouth, Brockton, or Wareham commits no criminal offense.
No town in Plymouth County may charge a minor with a crime for a curfew violation.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Plymouth County.
See how North Plymouth's juvenile curfew rules stack up against other locations.
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