Sunbeam Camacho Noname Maddox was born up a goddamned mountain in California to people who are marginally more connected to the world than the comatose. This particular individual was born when Ursa Minor was low over the southern sky, because their parents are absolutely brilliant sparks of human ingenuity, and therefore was “about four” for a couple years, and “five-ish” until they weren’t, and…
Eventually, they escaped, got a serious shave and some asymmetric glasses, and finger-counted their way into a birth certificate. At that point, they were legally 18. They then became economically and sexually active, doing all the things Californian adults can legally do which Californian children cannot and you see where I’m going with this.
One day, some new evidence came to light (man), and their age got revised. Downwards. On day one they’re 19, on day two they’re three years in the county jail. Yes, they’re a parent. Yes, they occasionally drink alcohol. Yes, they’ve voted. Yes, they had children outside wedlock.
Does anyone get to have a seat over there? Is anyone’s liquor license in danger? Did anyone get all of my references?
I don’t think it’s possible for a person’s legal age to be revised after their legal age reaches 18. A lot of things are officially set in stone at that point.
EDIT: A translation.
Someone is born in a place with very poor record-keeping. They eventually reach more civilized parts, and get a birth certificate based on their estimated age. The person turns 18, by that birth certificate, and does the things a legal adult does. Then, new evidence is discovered that the official estimate was too high, and the person is actually under 18.
I honestly don’t see the problem, but here it is again:
Someone was born in a circumstance where there was no actual record of birth, and their birthdays weren’t counted very well. They made their way into the world and began living as an adult. New evidence came to light which proved that they were born more recently than they estimated, making them still a minor in the eyes of the law. What happens?
In case it helps clarify, I specified they had children outside wedlock because it apparently makes a difference as regards California statutory rape laws.
I chose California because the age of consent there is 18, which is both oddly high for the US and the age everyone kind of assumes it is due to California being where all the movies and TV shows come from.
Hey, nice translation. I didn’t know you could speak jive!
As for your answer, it seems like the only one which would preserve equity under the law. Removing the need for mens rea is one thing, but retroactively bending someone over a barrel like that has to deprive them of due process.
Now we’ll see if the actual legal world agrees, I suppose…
And let me amend my original answer: I don’t think it can be adjusted after legal majority except in cases of fraud. There have been cases of young men lying about their age to enter the military, and who were then kicked out when the lie was eventually discovered.
Assuming I am translating the word salad correctly I thinkthis link is a pretty good analysis of the issue (though from the point of view of immigrants whose age was not accurately recorded).