Legal Age of Consent

[CarissaMarie]

Minnesota. Is it legal for a sixteen year old female to be in a relationship or sexually active with a twenty year old male?

 

[CdwJava]

The age of consent in MN appears to be age 16 but it depends on the nature of the relationship to the older party. If he is in a position of authority at all, he can be charged with a crime. Of course, mom and dad can always try and slap a restraining order or criminal charges on loverboy if they feel he is encouraging you to disobey them or otherwise encouraging delinquent behavior by you.

As to your other question, MN appears to have no legal statute concerning emancipation, but case law discusses emancipation by LEGAL marriage (i.e. one in which all parties and the minors' parents agree) or by court order. In short, if either parent disagrees to your getting married, you are not going to be emancipated unless you somehow manage to convince a court that this is in your best interests ...that probably won't happen until you are 18 anyway.

- Carl