Is It Illegal to Publish a Mugshot of a Minor

[Mr. Knowitall]

Florida makes juvenile court records confidential, so if an employee of the court violates the statute by sharing them inappropriately that would be grounds for discipline. You're correct that a law against leaking a record is different from a law restricting how a third party may use the record after it is leaked, and the First Amendment comes into play. You're also correct that some minors aren't prosecuted in juvenile court. One example, another example.

[horseyjess]

"Cannot" implies prohibited by law - that it is mandatory and/or forbidden. "Will not" or "do not" would imply that it is policy; that is is a choice the agency has made.

Florida makes juvenile court records confidential, so if an employee of the court violates the statute by sharing them inappropriately that would be grounds for discipline. You're correct that a law against leaking a record is different from a law restricting how a third party may use the record after it is leaked, and the First Amendment comes into play. You're also correct that some minors aren't prosecuted in juvenile court. One example, another example.

Again CBJ your can not and mine were two different things, our agency/ where I work CAN NOT per the Sheriff whom enforces the law in the county. But then again MRKnowitall confirms another reason why I can not, it looks as tho it is FL law. I do not know about in GA where it looks as tho the OP is from.

[cbg]

Well, perhaps you need to get accustomed to how certain words are used on a legal board. Your agency deciding that they will not allow something is NOT the same as state law telling them they cannot do something. Additionally, if I'm a court reporter and I release information, I may have violated the law, but if I'm the minor's next door neighbor and I work for the local newspaper and I release it, that's a whole different ball of wax. The government can tell the court reporter they may not release the information. They may not tell the local newspaper that they may not.

You may not have intended to imply that it was state law, but the way you expressed yourself came across that way.

[cdwjava]

Here we cannot release the names/ mug shots of minors if it is a Misdemeanor. If the minor is charged with a Felony then all information is public record and released. Not sure about other states/ jurisdictions.

In CA such identifying juvenile information is generally not subject to release (as a matter of LAW) even if a felony, but, if the media gets it from whatever other means (yearbook photos, friends, neighbors, etc.) there is no prohibition against the owner of a site publishing it.