General question

Due to an ongoing debate with my father I've been prompted to ask the following question, although I know the answer.

I live in Indiana. Although our curfew law is currently out-of-commission it used to read that basically 15-17 was affected, 18 and over was not. If anyone disagrees with this, let me know. I know Indiana put some recent restrictions on the curfew lift @ 18, but those don't apply in this case. My question is, at 18 am I still legally affected by a curfew law.

Secondly, my father continually argues that females are "adults" at 18 and males at 21. Stupid concept I know. I just need some written something that says that the legal age of an adult is 18. Can anyone help?

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Originally posted by inlarry
Due to an ongoing debate with my father I've been prompted to ask the following question, although I know the answer.

I live in Indiana. Although our curfew law is currently out-of-commission it used to read that basically 15-17 was affected, 18 and over was not. If anyone disagrees with this, let me know. I know Indiana put some recent restrictions on the curfew lift @ 18, but those don't apply in this case. My question is, at 18 am I still legally affected by a curfew law.

Secondly, my father continually argues that females are "adults" at 18 and males at 21. Stupid concept I know. I just need some written something that says that the legal age of an adult is 18. Can anyone help?

My response:

Now, I'm only guessing, but I think your Dad was absent that day when his teacher was teaching about Civics. I could be wrong, but with your Dad's beliefs, I can only make that conclusion.

Here are the relevant Constitutional and Statutory laws from both the Federal Constitution and of Indiana statutes - -

FEDERAL CONSTITUTION :
Amendment XIV
Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

The reason I have posted the above is because of your father's statement concerning ages of adulthood for girls and boys. You'll notice that the above Amendment allows for "equal protection of the laws" - - which means, if it's 18 for one gender, then it's 18 for the other gender. There are no more gender differences in the Constitution or in the various State laws (except for reproductive and rape laws - - which is understandable).


FEDERAL CONSTITUTION :
Amendment XXVI Right to Vote at Age 18 (1971) Section 1.

The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.


INDIANA STATE CODE 11-8-1-2
11-8-1-2 "Definition of Adult"
Current through End of 2001 1st Regular Sess.

11-8-1-2 "Adult"
Sec. 2. "Adult" means a person eighteen (18) years of age


INDIANA STATE CODE 31-37-3-2
31-37-3-2 Children fifteen through seventeen years of age

Sec. 2. It is a curfew violation for a child fifteen (15), sixteen (16), or seventeen (17) years of age to be in a public place:
(1) between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Saturday or Sunday;
(2) after 11 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday; or
(3) before 5 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.

Good luck to you.

IAAL