age of capacity

The age, usu. defined by statute as 18 years, at which a person is legally capable of agreeing to a contract, maintaining a lawsuit, or the like.

• A person may be authorized to make certain critical personal deci-sions at an earlier age than the general age of capacity, such as the decision whether to bear a child, to donate blood, to obtain treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, to marry, or to write a will. The age of capacity to write a will is typically not 18, but 14.

— Also termed age of majority; legal age; lawful age. See CAPACITY(2). [Cases: Infants 1. C.J.S. Infants §§ 2–4.]

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词条贡献者

译者Carl，知名法学院保险学专业，擅长翻译各种与保险理赔追索相关的法律文件。