# Retroactive Age Changes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 3, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878 "2016-03-03T23:46:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/1 "2016-03-03T23:46:18Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/2 "2016-03-03T23:54:15Z")
GQ? Really? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/3 "2016-03-03T23:57:23Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > GQ? Really? :dubious: Hey, I’ve gone weirder on my legal hypotheticals. This is about par for me, references and all. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/4 "2016-03-03T23:59:04Z")
Can someone translate into English please. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/5 "2016-03-03T23:59:24Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/6 "2016-03-04T00:01:30Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Can someone translate into English please. 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? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/7 "2016-03-04T00:03:52Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/8 "2016-03-04T00:05:07Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > 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. 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… ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/9 "2016-03-04T00:06:11Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > 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? Why didn’t you say that in the first place, instead of wasting our time? No, it was not that entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/10 "2016-03-04T00:07:39Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Why didn’t you say that in the first place, instead of wasting our time? Because I expect this to be an English-speaking message board. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/11 "2016-03-04T00:09:11Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Because I expect this to be an English-speaking message board. Never assume . . . ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/12 "2016-03-04T00:12:13Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Because I expect this to be an English-speaking message board. So the problem is ours for not deciphering that word salad? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/13 "2016-03-04T00:31:42Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Because I expect this to be an English-speaking message board. Well, technically it was in English, but it resembled “Darmok and Jilad at Tanagra.” ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/14 "2016-03-04T00:32:31Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > So the problem is ours for not deciphering that word salad? What word salad? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/15 "2016-03-04T00:36:53Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > What word salad? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19151333&postcount=1](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19151333&postcount=1) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/16 "2016-03-04T00:37:23Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/17 "2016-03-04T00:38:17Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Did anyone get all of my references? It’s looking like the answer to this question is “no”. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/18 "2016-03-04T00:39:09Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > 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? Can we make this the poster child for why hypotheticals don’t belong in GQ? ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/19 "2016-03-04T00:46:39Z")
Assuming I am translating the word salad correctly I think[this link](http://www.minnesotalawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Pearson_MLR.pdf) is a pretty good analysis of the issue (though from the point of view of immigrants whose age was not accurately recorded). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2016, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retroactive-age-changes/747878/20 "2016-03-04T00:57:59Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > 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? **Moderator Note** In the future, do not write absurdly incomprehensible OPs in GQ. Ask your questions in a straightforward way so that everyone may understand them. I am closing this. If you wish to re-open the question, send me a draft OP by PM before doing so. Colibri General Questions Moderator