Superior Court of California, Counties of Butte, Glenn and Tehama
Self Help Assistance & Referral Program

1675 Montgomery Street • Oroville, CA 95965 • (530) 532-7015
655 Oleander • Chico, CA 95926 • (530) 532-7024
526 W. Sycamore Street • Willows, CA 95988 • (530) 934-6461
345 Pine Street * Red Bluff, CA 96080 * (530) 527-8649

Ask the Court

Column #3

Question: My daughter just turned 17 and wants to marry. She has a stable job and graduated from high school last month. Can she marry if she is not yet 18? Can she ask the court to be declared an adult so that she may marry? --Anonymous, Orland, CA.

Answer: A person must be 18 years of age in order to marry in the State of California. If a person is under the age of 18 and wants to marry, they must have the approval of their parents and a court order approving the marriage before they may obtain a marriage license from the Glenn County Recorder’s Office. When a minor gets married, they are considered “emancipated,” which means they are no longer under the control, care, and responsibility of their parents. You may wish to visit Family Code sections 7002 and 7120-7122 relating to emancipation.

The California Administrative Office of the Courts has an online self-help center that you can access by going to http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/welcome.htm. You can access the Family Law Code Sections mentioned above through this website. Further, you will find more information relating to emancipation of minors in the State of California on this site. If your daughter does not have an attorney, she may wish to contact the Self Help Assistance and Referral Program (SHARP) at Glenn County Superior Court. The program assists self represented litigants in completing their court paperwork. SHARP’s free services can provide further information on the emancipation process and assistance in completing legal forms related to her situation. –Glenn County Superior Court Administration

Do you have questions that you want the Court to answer? Please email them to askthecourt@glenncourt.ca.gov or mail them to Glenn County Superior Court, Attn: Ask the Court, 526 W. Sycamore Street, Willows, CA 95988. Questions may be submitted anonymously. Donald Cole Byrd is the current Presiding Judge of the court.

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Superior Court of California, County of Glenn © 2009