mature minor doctrine
mature-minor doctrine. Family law. A rule holding that an adolescent, though not having reached the age of majority, may make decisions about his or her health and welfare if the adolescent demonstrates an ability to articulate reasoned preferences on those matters. • The mature-minor doctrine was recognized as constitutionally protected in certain medical decisions (esp. those related to abortion rights) in Planned Parenthood of Cent. Missouri v. Danforth, 428 U.S. 52, 96 S.Ct. 2831 (1976). Not all states recognize the common-law mature-minor doctrine. Cf. PARENTAL-CONSENT STATUTE.
