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Age laws
So I was wondering what the laws in California are if an 18 year old was dating a 16 year old. Like without sex but only kissing. Is that legal or they just can't be together?
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While I don't live in CA. the laws do not differ much between states. The 18 year old is considered an adult while the 16 year old is considered a minor. You need to find out California's age of consent to really know the answer to your question. (more later)
Now what muddies the water here is also Federal Law. Federal Law has the age of consent at 18. There are several Federal laws that could be broken if for instance you two live close to a border and take a day trip into another state. Even if this trip is to visit a National park the 18 year old could be charged with the MANN act. This is when an adult takes a minor across state lines for illegal purposes or without parental permission.
The law gets a little tricky when one person is 18 and the other person is younger. In some states as long as there is not more than a four year age difference there is no problems with the law. In other states they hold strictly to adults shouldn't date minors.
What it really boils down to is the parents of the girl. If the girls parents are okay with her dating someone considered by law to be an adult and the two don't break any other laws; then the police are not going to go after the boy for any of the charges he could face for dating a minor.
The biggest charge he could face is statutory rape. This has nothing to do with sex. It is just the fact that he is an adult and the girl is a minor. It is the type of charge the police would add if say he was caught drinking and driving.
By the way the same laws apply if the girl is 18 and the boy is 16.
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