Read This Before You Enter into Contracts

As with much of family law, contract law applies differently from place to place. As such, without going into discussions of specific State statutes, we can only go as far as general trends on the matter. Usually, though adults and children may very well come to terms on a written contract and both parties may uphold their end of the bargain, a child may just as well prove non-compliant with most supposedly binding agreements. This is related to the concept inherent in many State family laws of capacity.

Primarily, the above consideration of family law has to deal with concerns in the wake of agreements between individuals. As for contracts between minors and public entities/private companies, in some instances the latter will not let a juvenile move forward without additional consent from a child's guardian. Meanwhile, some manifestations of family law and contract law are not as readily subject to the child's discretion or revocation.

In some specific circumstances, such as approval of a loan for a minor student starting college, the child's parent will likely have to co-sign on the written contract between creditor and those receiving the funds and will be in part responsible for any financial consequences should the terms of the agreement not be upheld. Similar provisions might be in order for children who are paid entertainers, with deals being struck between an agency/other company and his or her immediate family on the minor’s behalf. Laws dictate that parents may be culpable should their children not perform as expected.

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