Minor (law)

In law, a minor (sometimes called an infant) is a person under a certain age—usually the age of majority—which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood. The age of majority depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is generally 21.

Quotes

 * Minority is to give total impunity.
 * Sir Wm. Scott, Beauraine v. Beauraine (1808), 1 Hagg. Con. Bep. 499; reported in James William Norton-Kyshe, Dictionary of Legal Quotations (1904), p. 104.


 * If an infant commit an assault, or utter slander, God forbid that he should not be answerable for it in a Court of justice.
 * Lord Kenyon, C.J., Jennings v. Rundall (1799), 8 T.R. 337; reported in James William Norton-Kyshe, Dictionary of Legal Quotations (1904), p. 104.


 * Infants have no privilege to cheat men.
 * King, L.C., Evroy v. Nicholas (1733), 2 Eq. Ca. Ab. 489; reported in James William Norton-Kyshe, Dictionary of Legal Quotations (1904), p. 104.


 * In one sense all British Subjects who are infants are wards of Court, because they are subject to that sort of parental jurisdiction which is entrusted to the Court in this country, and which has been administered continually by the Courts of the Chancery Division.
 * Kay, L.J., Brown v. Collins (1884), L. R. 25 C. D. 60; reported in James William Norton-Kyshe, Dictionary of Legal Quotations (1904), p. 189.