age of legal majority
There are two different concepts that are sometimes confused: the age of majority and the age of license. While these two sometimes coincide time-wise, they are not the same thing. The age of majority is the legal recognition that a person is now an adult. In the Republic of Ireland the age of majority is 18, but one must be over 21 years of age to stand for election to the Houses of the Oireachtas. Also, in Portugal the age of majority is 18, but one must be at least 25 years of age to run for public office. Overview of Texas Legal Age Laws. Texas, as do many other states, recognizes 18 as the age of majority, at which point residents are legally considered adults (as opposed to minors). Any minor petitioning a Texas court for emancipation -- that is, being declared an adult in the eyes of the law -- must be a Texas resident, 17 years old (or 16 and living apart from one's parents), and able to support and manage one's own affairs. Age of Majority. The age of majority is the legal age established by state law at which a person is no longer considered a child. In most states, a person has reached the age of majority at 18. Two states (Alabama and Nebraska) set the age of majority to be 19 and one, Mississippi, sets the age of majority at 21. But Texas legal ages laws also govern a minor's eligibility for emancipation, the legal capacity for signing a contract or consenting to medical treatment. Also, the legal age for alcohol consumption in all states is 21. Emancipation of Minors in Texas. Some ages of license are actually higher than the age of majority. For example, the age of license to purchase alcoholic beverages is 21 in all U.S. states. Another example is the voting age, which prior to the 1970s was 21, while the age of majority was 18 in most states. The age of majority is the threshold of adulthood as it is conceptualized (and recognized or declared) in law. Conclusion. The age of majority is that age at which a child reaches adulthood and is legally responsible for his decisions. The age of majority in most states is 18. Three others have an age of majority at age 19 or 21. The age of majority differs from the age of license. Although a person may attain the age of majority in a particular jurisdiction, they may still be subject to age-based restrictions regarding matters such as the right to vote or stand for elective office, act as a judge, and many others.
In most states, a person has reached the age of majority at 18. Two states (Alabama and Nebraska) set the age of majority to be 19 and one, Mississippi, sets the age of majority at 21.