Title 31, Family

§577-1 Age of majority. All persons residing in the State, who have attained the age of eighteen years, shall be regarded as of legal age and their period of minority to have ceased. [CC 1859, §1487; am L 1919, c 116, §1; RL 1925, §3032; RL 1935, §4510; RL 1945, §12261; RL 1955, …

§577-10 Court having jurisdiction. The family courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction of all cases coming within sections 709-902, 709-903, 709-904, and 709-905; provided that upon complaint made to any prosecuting officer of the commission of any offense coming within sections …

§577-14 Children born to parents not married to each other; support. Except as otherwise provided by law, children whose parents have not been legally married, in contemplation of chapter 572, shall be designated as children whose parents have not been married to each other at th…

§577-15 Children deemed to be orphans. For the purpose of taking, or determining eligibility to take, any benefit under any law or under any private instrument by the terms of which orphans are eligible to receive benefits, a child born to parents not married to each other and no…

§577-16 Curfew; children in public streets, prohibited when; penalty. Any child under sixteen years of age, who, except in case of necessity, or except when permitted so to do in writing by a judge of the family court, goes or remains on any public street, highway, public place, …

[§577-16.5] Sentencing for the violation of curfew. In addition to any other penalties established by law, rule, or ordinance in the State, any child found in violation of section 577-16 and their parents or guardians may be required to participate in such counseling, as the cour…

§577-18 Parents allowing children in street, prohibited when; penalty. Any parent or guardian having the care, custody, and control of a child under sixteen years of age, who, except in case of necessity, knowingly, and voluntarily suffers or permits such child to go or remain on…

§577-19 Children prohibited in certain places, when; penalty. Any keeper of a coffee shop, ice cream parlor, victualing or billiard saloon, bowling alley, skating rink, theater, show house, or premises in which any show, moving picture, or other like public entertainment is given…

§577-2 Minority of veteran or of the veteran's spouse, no bar when. The disability of minority of any person who is otherwise eligible for guaranty or insurance of a loan pursuant to the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (P.L. 346, 78th Cong.), as amended, or as the same may …

§577-20 Arrest, when in such places. If any keeper of any of the public places enumerated in section 577-19 finds difficulty in clearing the keeper's premises of school children, the keeper may call in the assistance of the police, who shall first order all such school children t…

§577-21 Curfew ordinances, effect. Each of the counties may enact and enforce ordinances regulating the presence of children in public places and on public streets and roads during certain hours at night. Upon each of the counties enacting an ordinance pertaining to curfew for ch…

§577-22 Dancing partners, patrons, age limit. It shall be unlawful for any unmarried minor to frequent, be, or remain upon, in, or around the premises of any dance hall where persons receive any remuneration or compensation, either directly or indirectly, for acting as dancing pa…

§577-23 Parent et al. responsibility, penalty. Any parent, guardian, or other person having the care, custody, or control of an unmarried minor, who knowingly permits such minor to violate section 577-22, shall be fined not more than $50 or imprisoned not more than thirty days. […

§577-24 Escort's responsibility; penalty. Any person who knowingly takes, escorts, or accompanies any unmarried minor to a dance hall which the minor is prohibited from attending by section 577-22, or who invites or encourages the minor to attend such dance hall, shall be fined n…

§577-25 Emancipation of certain minors. (a) Any law to the contrary notwithstanding, a minor shall be deemed to be emancipated if the minor has: (b) An emancipated minor shall be considered to have the rights and responsibilities of an adult; provided that nothing in this section…

§577-26 Alcohol or drug abuse relating to minors; diagnosis, counseling, and related activities. (a) A counselor, certified, licensed, or otherwise authorized by law to engage in the practice of counseling services in either or both the public and private sector, may inform the s…

[§577-27] Missing children; reporting. (a) Upon the filing of a police report that a child is missing by the parent or guardian, the law enforcement agency receiving notification shall: (b) A missing child report filed with a law enforcement agency which has jurisdiction is suffi…

§577-28 Affidavit of caregiver consent for minor's health care. (a) Except for children placed under the custody of the department of human services, pursuant to proceedings under chapter 587A, a caregiver who possesses and presents a notarized affidavit of caregiver consent for …

§577-29 Mental health services relating to minors; diagnosis, counseling, and related activities. (a) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a minor who is fourteen years of age or older may consent to mental health treatment or counseling services provided by a licensed …

§577-3 Natural guardian; liability for torts of child. The father and mother of an unmarried minor child are jointly the natural guardians of the child's person and property. They shall have equal powers and duties with respect to the child and neither shall have any right superi…

§577-3.5 Property damage, parental responsibility. (a) The parents or legal guardians of a minor child shall be jointly and severally liable for graffiti damage caused by the minor to real or personal property, whether publicly or privately owned. As used in this section, "graffi…

§577-4 Stepparent; when required to support stepchild. A stepparent who acts in loco parentis is bound to provide, maintain, and support the stepparent's stepchild during the residence of the child with the stepparent if the legal parents desert the child or are unable to support…

§577-6 Duty of minor children. All children during their minority shall obey the lawful commands of their parents, or, the lawful commands of their natural or adoptive parents, or of the guardians appointed according to law. [PC 1869, c 79, §5; RL 1925, §3044; am L 1931, c 77, §2…

§577-7 Parents' control and duties. (a) Parents or, in case they are both deceased, guardians, legally appointed, shall have control over the conduct and education of their minor children. They shall have the right, at all times, to recover the physical custody of their children …

§577-7.5 Parental preferences in government contracts, programs, and services. (a) The purpose of this section is to help to eliminate any preference in a state or county executive agency or judiciary contract, program, or service that favors one parent over the other in terms of…

§577-9 Jury trial, when. In trials of any person over the age of majority arising under sections 709-902, 709-903, 709-904, and 709-905, the person proceeded against shall have the right to a trial by jury which shall be granted as in other cases, unless waived. If the finding of…