Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Is a non-sexual online romantic relationship between two teenage girls, a year and a half apart in age, therefore one turning into a legal adult before the other, illegal or crossing lines in any way? there is just talk about cuddling, kissing, non-sexual date ideas etc, as well as video and voice chat but never sexually. one lives in california and the other in new zealand. the relationship is very mutual, and there is open communication and love between the two, and no use of 'lewd conduct.' parents are homophobic\transphobic therefore we aren't quite ready to tell our parents until we are both in university, but the younger one doubts very much their mother would press charges or get the law involved- but if somehow the law did get involved, how likely would it be that the case would be brought into court?


Asked on 7/01/18, 4:07 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Edward Hoffman Law Offices of Edward A. Hoffman

Let me start by saying my answer is only about California and U.S. law. Because one of the young women is in New Zealand, the laws of that country will also matter, as will the laws of whatever region the New Zealander is in.

U.S. law doesn't forbid people over 18 from communicating with people under 18. It forbids only particular types of communication. If you're right about what's happening, then these conversations are legal. Note, though, that this only means the law wouldn't forbid them. The younger woman's parents still could. They might be able to seek a restraining order or bring some other sort of civil action against the other woman if she persists after the parents tell her to stop, though that wouldn't be a criminal matter. (It would probably be a hard case for them to win if they describe the relationship to the court the same way you've described it here, but they might see it differently. And it would be challenging to litigate a California case from New Zealand, or vice versa.)

There's no way to give you a completely reliable answer without specifics about what the girls say and do. The way you characterize the relationship isn't necessarily how others would see it, even if they have accurate information. This is the best I can do based on the information you've provided.

Good luck.

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Answered on 7/01/18, 6:02 pm


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