The result is that Minnesota has an age of consent that is 16 years of age, meaning that a person who is only a couple of years older, such as 18 years of age, could face statutory rape charges if they engage in consensual sex with the minor. How the Age of Consent applies in Minnesota
The so-called Romeo and Juliet laws exist in jurisdictions all over the United States and allow people to legally have consensual sex with minors when they are not more than a given number of years older, usually four years or less.Īlabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming all have such Romeo and Juliet laws.īut Minnesota does not and anybody accused of a statutory rape crime will want to speak to a Minnesota criminal defense attorney.