Legal Question in Criminal Law in Ohio

contributing to a minor

Iis it possible for my mother to file contributing to a minor on my boyfriend? i am 16 he is 19. my parents are the ones who got us going out in the first place. can my parents file charges even though they are the ones who started this relationship. my boyfriend and i have been going out for 9 happy months and everyone knows it! What can we do?


Asked on 2/19/98, 11:14 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Patrick A. T. West Ohio Ticket Defense Patrick A. T. West, Attorney at Law

Contributing to the delinquency of a child

There is no such charge as contributing to aminor. If your boyfriend is causing, contrib-uting to or even encouraging your being or becoming an unruly child, that is an offense.

An unruly child is one who(a) is not subject to the reasonable control of his or her parents, teachers, guardian, etc., by reason of being wayward or habitually disobedient;(b) is habitually truant from home;(c) who deports herself as to injure her health or morals or the health or morals of others;(d) attempts to marry in another state without the consent of her parents;(e) is found in a disreputable place or patron- izes a place prohibited by law or associ- ates with vagrant, vicious, criminal, notorious, or immoral persons;(f) engages in an occupation prohibited by law or is in a situation dangerous to life or limb or injurious to her health or morals or to the health or morals of others; OR(g) violates any law.

As you can see, the options are wide open. Itwould be easy to prove that your boyfriend didone or more of the 7 things constituting con-tributing to delinquency of a minor - even ifhe kept you out past curfew one night.

So, if your mother changes her mind about yourboyfriend or doesn't like something he hasdone, she can file a charge of contributingto the delinquency of a child and that chargewill probably be upheld.

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Answered on 2/24/98, 10:45 am


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