Lostkidd said:
I talked to my school counselor and the police officer at my school yesterday. My counseler said that someone age 17 can enroll themself in school because of the No Child Left Behind Act. The police officer said that in texas adult's are age 17, altough you have to be 18 to sign formal contracts. Thank you.
Great!! Good luck to the both of you then!! The police officer who gave you that advice is either an idiot or you misinterpreted what he said.
From Texas statutes:
§ 129.001. AGE OF MAJORITY. The age of majority in this state is 18 years.
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§ 31.001. REQUIREMENTS. (a) A minor may petition to have the disabilities of minority removed for limited or general purposes if the minor is:
(1) a resident of this state;
(2) 17 years of age, or at least 16 years of age and living separate and apart from the minor's parents, managing conservator, or guardian; and
(3) self-supporting and managing the minor's own financial affairs.
(b) A minor may file suit under this chapter in the minor's own name. The minor need not be represented by next friend.
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§ 25.04. ENTICING A CHILD. (a) A person commits an offense if, with the intent to interfere with the lawful custody of
a child younger than 18 years, he knowingly entices, persuades, or takes the child from the custody of the parent or guardian or person standing in the stead of the parent or guardian of such child.
(b) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor, unless it is shown on the trial of the offense that the actor intended to commit a felony against the child, in which event an offense under this section is a felony of the third degree.
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§ 25.03. INTERFERENCE WITH CHILD CUSTODY. (a) A person commits an offense if the person takes or retains
a child younger than 18 years when the person:
(1) knows that the person's taking or retention violates the express terms of a judgment or order of a court disposing of the child's custody; or
(2) has not been awarded custody of the child by a court of competent jurisdiction, knows that a suit for divorce or a civil suit or application for habeas corpus to dispose of the child's custody has been filed, and takes the child out of the geographic area of the counties composing the judicial district if the court is a district court or the county if the court is a
statutory county court, without the permission of the court and with the intent to deprive the court of authority over the child.
(b) A noncustodial parent commits an offense if, with the intent to interfere with the lawful custody of a child younger than 18 years, the noncustodial parent knowingly entices or persuades the child to leave the custody of the custodial parent, guardian, or person standing in the stead of the custodial parent or guardian of the child.
(c) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a)(2) that the actor returned the child to the geographic area of the counties composing the judicial district if the court is a district court or the county if the court is a statutory county court, within three days after the date of the commission of the offense.
(d) An offense under this section is a state jail felony.
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§ 25.06. HARBORING RUNAWAY CHILD. (a) A person commits an offense if he knowingly harbors a child and he is criminally negligent about whether the child:
(1)
is younger than 18 years; and
(2) has escaped from the custody of a peace officer, a probation officer, the Texas Youth Council, or a detention facility for children, or is voluntarily absent from the child's home without the consent of the child's parent or guardian for a substantial length of time or without the intent to return.
(b) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the actor was related to the child within the second degree by consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Chapter 573, Government Code.
(c) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the actor notified:
(1) the person or agency from which the child escaped or a law enforcement agency of the presence of the child within 24 hours after discovering that the child had escaped from custody; or
(2) a law enforcement agency or a person at the child's home of the presence of the child within 24 hours after discovering that the child was voluntarily absent from home without the consent of the child's parent or guardian.
(d) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
(e) On the receipt of a report from a peace officer, probation officer, the Texas Youth Council, a foster home, or a detention facility for children that a child has escaped its custody or upon receipt of a report from a parent, guardian, conservator, or legal custodian that a child is missing, a law enforcement agency shall immediately enter a record of the child into the National Crime Information Center.
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§ 25.10. INTERFERENCE WITH RIGHTS OF GUARDIAN OF THE PERSON. (a) In this section:
(1) "Possessory right" means the right of a guardian of the person to have physical possession of a ward and to establish the ward's legal domicile, as provided by Section 767(1), Texas Probate Code.
(2) "Ward" has the meaning assigned by Section 601, Texas Probate Code.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person takes, retains, or conceals a ward when the person knows that the person's taking, retention, or concealment interferes with a possessory right with respect to the ward.
(c) An offense under this section is a state jail felony.
(d) This section does not apply to a governmental entity where the taking, retention, or concealment of the ward was authorized by Subtitle E, Title 5, Family Code, or Chapter 48, Human Resources Code.
