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The First Amendment reaches into public schools, but not evenly. What you say, where you say it, and whether the school sponsors it all change the answer.
閱讀全文: Free speech for students: where it protects you and where it stops
Students keep their constitutional rights when they walk through the school doors, but those rights work differently inside a school than they do anywhere else. Here is the shape of that difference.
閱讀全文: What student rights actually mean at school
Privacy online is governed by a patchwork of narrow laws, platform settings, and school policies. Understanding which one applies to a situation is most of the work.
閱讀全文: Digital privacy: who can see your data, and what the law actually covers
Not every cruel thing that happens at school is a legal violation, and not every legal violation looks dramatic. The difference decides who has to act.
閱讀全文: Bullying and discrimination: where school rules end and civil rights begin
Teen employment is one of the most heavily regulated areas of youth life, and one of the least explained. Hours, pay, and safety all have floors an employer cannot go below.
閱讀全文: Your first job: the rules that exist to protect you
Where you stand changes what protections apply. A sidewalk, a school hallway, and a private parking lot are three different legal settings.
閱讀全文: Peaceful protest: the rights, and the responsibilities that come with them
Free and low-cost legal help exists in most of the United States. The hard part is knowing what to search for, what to avoid, and what to have ready before you call.
閱讀全文: How to find legal help you can actually trust
Legal literacy is not memorizing statutes. It is a small set of habits that let you recognize a legal situation and respond to it without panicking.
閱讀全文: Legal literacy is a life skill, not a legal career
Young people are governed by rules they are rarely taught. Learning them early is less about avoiding trouble than about being able to participate.
閱讀全文: Why understanding the law early changes what you can do
A federal law gives students experiencing homelessness the right to stay enrolled, enroll without the usual documents, and get transportation. Most students it covers have never heard of it.
閱讀全文: Staying in school when housing is unstable
For many young people the first real encounter with police happens in a car. What is usually required, what is a request, and how to tell the two apart calmly.
閱讀全文: A traffic stop, step by step
Three different federal laws cover disability at school, and they do different things. Knowing which one applies changes what you can ask for and who has to answer.
閱讀全文: Disability rights at school: IEPs, 504 plans, and asking for what you need
Voting is one tool among many, and it arrives late. Public comment, records requests, school boards, and petitions are open to people who are not yet eighteen.
閱讀全文: Civic power before you can vote
Subscriptions, phone plans, gym memberships, and app terms. Why contracts with minors work differently, and why that is not the same as nothing counting.
閱讀全文: Signing things before you turn eighteen
Different words, different goals, and a different set of protections. What the juvenile system is designed to do, and where its promises have limits.
閱讀全文: How juvenile court is different from adult court
Before a school can suspend you, the Constitution requires a minimum: notice of what you're accused of, and a real chance to respond. Longer removals require more.
閱讀全文: Due process before a suspension or expulsion: the Goss v. Lopez baseline
When a student with an IEP faces a long removal, federal law requires a specific meeting before ordinary discipline can proceed. Here is exactly what that meeting has to cover.
閱讀全文: When discipline and disability intersect: the manifestation determination review
A common misconception is that 'zero tolerance' is one big federal law. In reality, federal law mandates it narrowly, for firearms, and everything broader is a district or state policy choice.
閱讀全文: Zero-tolerance policies: what federal law actually requires, and what's a local choice
A school resource officer wears two hats. Which one they're wearing in a given moment changes what protections apply to you.
閱讀全文: School resource officers: where school discipline ends and a police matter begins
A long removal from your regular school does not have to mean no school. What a district must still provide differs for students with an IEP and students without one.
閱讀全文: Suspended or expelled long-term: what still has to be provided
Some schools offer a restorative process instead of, or alongside, suspension. It is a real practice with a real structure, not a synonym for 'no consequence.'
閱讀全文: Restorative justice at school: what it is, and what to ask about it
The reasonable-suspicion standard from New Jersey v. T.L.O. is the starting point for school searches, but lockers, cars, and phone content don't all get treated the same way.
閱讀全文: Beyond the backpack: how search rules differ for lockers, cars, and phones
A 2021 Supreme Court case about a Snapchat post gave schools less power over what you post off-campus than many students assume — but not zero power.
閱讀全文: Off-campus speech and social media: what Mahanoy v. B.L. actually changed
A personal t-shirt and a school newspaper are not protected the same way. A 1988 Supreme Court case set a separate, more permissive standard for school-sponsored publications.
閱讀全文: School newspapers and yearbooks: why Hazelwood is different from Tinker
Beyond the apps you use directly, a whole industry buys, combines, and resells personal information. Here's how it works and what little control exists over it.
閱讀全文: Data brokers: the companies collecting your information that you never signed up for
An AI chatbot feels like a private conversation. Depending on the service, it may not be one. The same habits that protect you on any other platform apply here too.
閱讀全文: AI chatbots and your personal information: what not to share, and why
Some states require a work permit before a minor can start a job. Whether you need one, and how to get it, depends entirely on your state.
閱讀全文: Working papers: what they are, and how to actually get them
Tipped jobs run on a different wage formula than most first jobs. Knowing the mechanism, not just the final number, is what lets you catch an error.
閱讀全文: Tip credits and pay stubs: making sure the math on your paycheck is right
Unpaid wages, unsafe conditions, and illegal child labor go to different government agencies. Knowing which one saves real time.
閱讀全文: Filing a workplace complaint: which agency handles what
Any public school, and most private ones, that takes federal funding cannot discriminate based on race, color, or national origin. Here's what that actually covers.
閱讀全文: Title VI: the federal law against race and national-origin discrimination at school
Title IX is best known for athletics, but the same law also covers sexual harassment, uneven discipline by sex, and a school's obligations to pregnant and parenting students.
閱讀全文: Title IX beyond sports: harassment, discipline, and pregnant and parenting students
A student religious club and a work schedule conflict are governed by two different laws, but the same underlying idea: your religion generally can't be the reason you're shut out.
閱讀全文: Religious accommodation: what schools and workplaces are actually required to do
A 1982 Supreme Court case settled a question that still comes up constantly: every child in the United States has a right to a free public education, regardless of immigration status.
閱讀全文: Plyler v. Doe: why immigration status can never block school enrollment
Plyler v. Doe guarantees the right to enroll. This is about the practical part: what an enrollment form can actually ask, and what to do if it asks for more.
閱讀全文: Enrolling in school: what a district can and can't require you to disclose
Teaching only in English to students who don't understand it isn't neutral — it's a civil-rights problem with a specific legal name and a specific required response.
閱讀全文: Language access at school: what a district must do when English isn't your first language
So many of this site's own hedges — 'this varies by state,' 'check your district's policy' — come down to one civics fact: three different levels of government can all have a rule about the same thing.
閱讀全文: Federal, state, and local law: which one actually governs your situation
Beyond speaking at a public meeting, many cities and states have a standing body specifically for youth input. It's a different, more structured kind of civic participation.
閱讀全文: Youth commissions and advisory boards: a formal seat, not just public comment
Off-campus speech generally has real protection, but targeted harassment is a different category with different rules, whether or not it happened during school hours.
閱讀全文: Cyberbullying that happens off-campus: what a school can still do about it
Most state anti-bullying laws require specific steps once a report is made. Knowing the outline helps you tell the difference between a slow process and one that isn't happening at all.
閱讀全文: What's actually supposed to happen after you report bullying
Getting punished for reporting discrimination or harassment is its own violation, even if the original complaint doesn't ultimately succeed.
閱讀全文: Retaliation for reporting: a separate protection from the original complaint
Attorney-client confidentiality applies to minors too, but it works differently depending on who is paying, who is present, and what kind of matter it is.
閱讀全文: What a lawyer can and can't tell your parents
A deposit an employer won't return, or a repair someone won't pay for, doesn't always need a lawyer. Small claims court exists specifically for disputes at this scale.
閱讀全文: Small claims court: a real option for a small dispute, without hiring a lawyer
Legal emancipation is a real, court-supervised process with real requirements — and it doesn't erase every age-based rule the way people often assume.
閱讀全文: Emancipation: what it actually requires, and what it doesn't change
Education records follow a student for years. Federal law gives a right to inspect them and to challenge something that is wrong — and the right moves to the student at 18.
閱讀全文: Your school records under FERPA: seeing them, and asking to fix them
A quote rejected from a yearbook and a sign at a protest are governed by different standards. School sponsorship is what changes the analysis.
閱讀全文: Yearbooks, prom, and graduation: expression at school-sponsored events
A subpoena is a court order, not an invitation. Ignoring one causes far more trouble than the appearance itself usually does.
閱讀全文: If you get a subpoena: what it means and what you must not do
Between a referral and a courtroom sits a screening stage most people have never heard of — and it is often where a matter is resolved without a formal case at all.
閱讀全文: Juvenile intake: the step before court that decides whether there is a case
This is the distinction that decides most walkout discipline cases, and it is the one students most often do not know before they walk out.
閱讀全文: School walkouts: the speech is protected, the absence usually isn't
The Department of Labor uses a “primary beneficiary” test to decide whether an intern at a for-profit company is really an employee who must be paid.
閱讀全文: Unpaid internships: when they're lawful and when they're just unpaid work
A student living apart from a parent or guardian can still enrol, and federal law names a specific route that many families and schools do not know about.
閱讀全文: Enrolling in school without a parent: unaccompanied youth and who can register you
Missing school can trigger a legal process or a support process depending on which category a district puts it in — and the difference is not always explained to families.
閱讀全文: Truancy and chronic absence: two different problems with two different responses
State legislatures take public testimony on bills, and there is generally no age requirement to give it. The format is different from a school board comment period.
閱讀全文: Testifying at a hearing: speaking to a committee, not just a school board
Loss-prevention staff work under a different set of rules than police — narrower in some ways, and worth understanding before it happens.
閱讀全文: Stopped by store security: a private guard is not a police officer
There is no general federal right to make a company delete what it holds about you. A growing number of states have created one — and whether you have it depends on where you live.
閱讀全文: Asking a company to delete your data: where that right exists
Giving someone your login is common among friends and partners, and it creates problems that outlast the relationship it started in.
閱讀全文: Sharing passwords: the risk isn't only that someone reads your messages
Laws written to protect minors can, depending on the state, apply to minors themselves. This is the part young people are most often not told.
閱讀全文: Sexting: the legal risk minors don't expect, and what to do about an image
The ADA defines service animals narrowly and limits what anyone may ask about one. Both halves of that come up constantly at school doors.
閱讀全文: Service animals at school: the two questions staff may ask
A 504 plan and an IEP come from different statutes with different eligibility tests and different procedural protections. Families are often given one without being told the other exists.
閱讀全文: Section 504 or IDEA: two different laws, two different plans
The common belief that a juvenile record disappears at 18 is wrong often enough to cause real harm. In most states someone has to ask.
閱讀全文: Sealing and expunging a juvenile record: usually not automatic
Federal school meal programs come with eligibility rules and, less well known, rules meant to stop a student's meal status from being visible to everyone around them.
閱讀全文: School meals: who qualifies, and the rules against singling students out
Physically restraining a student or confining them alone is not ordinary discipline, and federal guidance treats it as an emergency measure only.
閱讀全文: Restraint and seclusion at school: what to ask if it happens
Filming officers doing their job in public has been recognized as protected activity by several federal appeals courts — with limits that matter in the moment.
閱讀全文: Recording police in public: what's generally protected, and what isn't
“We just need your help with something that happened” is a genuine request sometimes and an opening question other times. The same protections apply either way.
閱讀全文: Being questioned as a witness — and why that can change mid-conversation
Every state has a public records law, and they generally do not have an age requirement. It is one of the few civic tools that works exactly the same at 15 as at 50.
閱讀全文: Public records requests: how to find out what your school district actually decided
The right to appointed counsel is one of the strongest protections in the system, and it applies to young people in juvenile proceedings.
閱讀全文: Public defenders: the right to a lawyer when you cannot pay for one
A court order requiring someone to stay away is a real and available remedy, including in some states for a minor petitioning on their own.
閱讀全文: Protective orders: what they are, and whether a minor can get one
Most states let you register or preregister before your eighteenth birthday, so your registration activates automatically when you become eligible.
閱讀全文: Preregistering to vote: in many states you don't have to wait until 18
Online petitions and official ballot-measure petitions look similar and do completely different things. Only one of them has legal effect.
閱讀全文: Petitions and ballot measures: the difference between a signature and a vote
A form sent home before a trip is usually doing two different jobs at once, and only one of them is giving permission.
閱讀全文: Permission slips and waivers: what signing one actually does
Television suggests officers must read you your rights the moment they approach. The real rule is narrower — and misunderstanding it leads people to say things they meant to keep to themselves.
閱讀全文: Miranda warnings: when they actually apply, and when they don't
Some adults are legally required to report suspected abuse or neglect. Knowing that in advance lets you choose who to talk to, instead of finding out afterward.
閱讀全文: Mandatory reporters: what happens when you tell a teacher something serious
Some protections here are settled and federal. Others vary enormously by state and have changed repeatedly — this separates the two.
閱讀全文: LGBTQ+ students: harassment protections, records, and where state law diverges
Several different systems provide free legal help, and they cover different kinds of problems. Knowing which is which saves a lot of dead ends.
閱讀全文: Free and low-cost legal help: legal aid, clinics, and pro bono explained
Compulsory attendance ages are set by each state, and “dropping out” is usually a formal process with conditions — not simply not showing up.
閱讀全文: Leaving school before graduation: what the law actually requires
Jury service is one of the few obligations of citizenship with a legal summons attached. Understanding how it works is useful long before your first one arrives.
閱讀全文: Jury duty: how people get called, and why you don't before 18
Enforcement policy about schools has changed over time, but a school's own obligations around records and enrolment have not.
閱讀全文: If immigration officers come to a school: what students and staff should know
Most states have anti-hazing laws, and most of them say consent does not make it lawful. That surprises people on both sides of an initiation.
閱讀全文: Hazing: why “everyone agreed to it” usually isn't a defense
Federal law bans people under 18 from a specific list of hazardous occupations. A parent's consent does not create an exception.
閱讀全文: Jobs and tasks minors are not allowed to do, even with permission
Reporting misconduct by a teacher, coach, or staff member follows a different path than reporting a classmate — and the usual advice to “tell a teacher” needs adjusting.
閱讀全文: When the person harassing you works at the school
Several different people may be assigned to a young person's case, and they do not all have the same job — one argues for what you want, others for what they think is best.
閱讀全文: Who speaks for you in court: guardians ad litem, CASA volunteers, and your own lawyer
There is no federal right to a particular grade, but most districts do have an appeal process — and it works better on some kinds of complaint than others.
閱讀全文: Disputing a grade: what a school's process usually allows, and what it doesn't
Agricultural employment has its own set of federal child-labor standards, and they permit work at younger ages than any other sector.
閱讀全文: Farm work: why the child-labor rules are different from every other job
A preparedness plan is ordinary contingency planning, useful for any family and any emergency, and much easier to make before it is needed.
閱讀全文: Making a family preparedness plan: the documents and decisions to sort out early
Biometric systems for lunch lines, attendance, and building access are increasingly common. A face or fingerprint is unlike a password: it cannot be changed after a breach.
閱讀全文: Facial recognition and fingerprints at school: what to ask before you scan
Being called a contractor changes what you're owed — minimum wage, overtime, and who pays certain taxes. The label doesn't settle it; the working relationship does.
閱讀全文: Employee or independent contractor: why the label on your paperwork matters
Having your address, school, or phone number posted is frightening and fast-moving. The useful response is a sequence, and the order matters.
閱讀全文: Doxxing: when your private information gets posted publicly
DACA has been the subject of continuing litigation and policy change. This covers the stable parts and is explicit about which parts are not stable.
閱讀全文: DACA and education: what it is, what it is not, and why you need current advice
Youth curfews are usually city or county ordinances, not state or federal law — which is why the answer can be genuinely different a few blocks away.
閱讀全文: Curfew laws: a local rule that changes at the city line
The age gate on almost every app traces back to one federal law — and understanding what it actually requires explains a lot about how services treat teenagers.
閱讀全文: COPPA: why so many services say you must be 13
A search that would otherwise need a warrant or probable cause can become lawful the moment someone says yes. That makes a casual-sounding question one of the most consequential in any encounter.
閱讀全文: Consent searches: why “do you mind if I take a look?” is a legal question
Moving schools is routine, but credit transfer is not automatic — and the gap between what you earned and what the new school counts is where students get hurt.
閱讀全文: Changing schools mid-year: records, credits, and what can be lost
The FLSA does not require breaks at all. What it does say is that when short breaks are given, they generally have to be paid — and states fill much of the rest.
閱讀全文: Breaks and meal periods: federal law requires fewer than most people assume
Removing a book from a school library is a decision with a process behind it — one that students and families are entitled to take part in.
閱讀全文: Book challenges: how a book gets removed, and what a student can do
School sports rules come from a state association most families have never dealt with, layered on top of district policy and federal civil-rights law.
閱讀全文: Athletic eligibility: who sets the rules that decide whether you can play
California asks almost every worker under 18 for a Permit to Employ and Work issued by the teen's school, sets its own hour limits on top of federal law, and pays a minimum wage well above the federal rate.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in California: the school permit, hour limits, and $16.90
Tinker v. Des Moines was about black armbands worn to school. Understanding what the Court actually held explains most of what follows.
閱讀全文: Armbands, pins, and symbols: the case that started student speech law
California's Education Code caps a suspension at five consecutive school days, requires a conference first, bars suspensions for willful defiance in every grade, and protects hair, student newspapers, and bullying complaints.
閱讀全文: Suspended in California: the five-day rule, the defiance ban, and how to complain
Whether a conversation with an officer is voluntary or a detention changes what rules apply. One clear question is how you find out which one you are in.
閱讀全文: “Am I free to leave?” — the question that defines a police encounter
Arizona sets its own hour limits for workers under 16, bans certain jobs for anyone under 18, and pays a state minimum wage far above the federal one. Here is how the state rules and the federal floor fit together.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Arizona: hours, pay, and who enforces the rules
The Constitution sets ages for federal office, but most local offices are governed by state law — and some have no minimum beyond voter eligibility.
閱讀全文: Running for office: the age requirements are lower than most people think
Alaska requires school from age 7 to 16, gives every student a hearing before a long suspension or expulsion, and has had a statewide anti-bullying law since 2006. Here is what each of those means on a real school day.
閱讀全文: Suspended, bullied, or told to leave: student rights in Alaska schools
Alaska requires a work permit for most workers under 17, lets 14- and 15-year-olds work later at night than federal law does, and pays a state minimum wage above the federal one. Here is how the pieces fit.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Alaska: the permit, the hours, and the wage
In Alabama the employer, not the teen, holds the child labor certificate, school-night hours are capped through age 18, and pay follows the federal minimum because the state has no wage law of its own.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Alabama: child labor certificates, hours, and the $7.25 floor
Alabama requires school from 6 to 17, forces a hearing within five school days for the most serious suspensions, and gives every student a written bullying complaint form that the school must act on.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Alabama: the five-day hearing rule, the bullying form, and who to call
Arizona's juvenile court hears cases until 18, its custody statute requires a juvenile version of the Miranda warning and a call to your parents, and its record law lets you ask to destroy the file at 18. The state that gave the country In re Gault still has clear rules.
閱讀全文: Police stops and juvenile court in Arizona: what happens before 18
Arkansas stopped requiring work permits in 2023, but the state and federal limits on hours, late shifts, and dangerous jobs still apply, and the stricter rule always wins.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Arkansas: no permit, but real hour limits
Arizona law draws a line at ten days of suspension, limits suspensions in kindergarten through fourth grade, and requires every district to have a written bullying process. Here is what a student and family can ask for.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Arizona: the ten-day line, the hearing, and the bullying rules
Alabama's juvenile court covers anyone under 18, can transfer a child as young as 14 to adult court, and sends some 16- and 17-year-olds there automatically; here is how that works and where to find a defense lawyer.
閱讀全文: Police stops and juvenile court in Alabama: under 18, the 72-hour hearing, and when a case goes adult
California requires a youth 17 or younger to consult a lawyer before any custodial interrogation, keeps juvenile court for ages 12 through 17, allows adult-court transfer only from age 16, and seals records after probation is completed.
閱讀全文: Stopped by police in California: the lawyer-first rule for anyone under 18
A federal rule that took effect on September 18, 2026 widened which benefits immigration officers can weigh. Here is who it applies to, what it says about family members, and why school itself is not in question.
閱讀全文: Public charge and using school services: what the new rule changed
Kansas juvenile court covers ages 10 through 17, protects children under 14 during questioning, and lets many young people ask a judge to expunge their record.
閱讀全文: Police questioning and juvenile court in Kansas: the under-14 rule and clearing a record
Kentucky matches the federal hours rules for 14- and 15-year-olds but adds its own limits for 16- and 17-year-olds during the school year. Here is what the Labor Cabinet's rules say and who to call.
閱讀全文: Your first job in Kentucky: hours, pay, and proof of age
In DC every worker under 18 needs a work or vacation permit, the employer keeps it on file, night hours end at 10 p.m. for 16- and 17-year-olds, and the District minimum wage is more than double the federal $7.25.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in the District of Columbia: the work permit, the 10 p.m. line, and an $18.40 wage
Every New York worker aged 14 to 17 needs working papers from a school office, the state caps school-week hours more tightly than federal law, and the minimum wage depends on where in the state you work.
閱讀全文: Working papers in New York: colors, hours, and the regional minimum wage
What a Kentucky officer must do after taking a young person into custody, when a case can move from juvenile court to adult Circuit Court, and how expungement works.
閱讀全文: Taken into custody in Kentucky: the call home, the youthful offender line, and clearing your record
In Hawaii, a case against someone under 18 goes to the Family Court, not a separate juvenile court. Here is what that means for questioning, records, curfew, and finding a lawyer.
閱讀全文: Police stops and family court for minors in Hawaii
In Delaware anyone under 18 is a child under the law, delinquency cases go to Family Court, and the Office of Defense Services provides the lawyer. Here are the rules and the exceptions.
閱讀全文: Stopped by police in Delaware: Family Court, adult court, and who defends you
Almost every man living in the U.S. must be registered with Selective Service from 18 through 25. Registering is not joining the military, and a new federal law is changing how it happens.
閱讀全文: Selective Service registration at eighteen
North Carolina splits suspensions at 10 school days, gives students facing longer ones a formal hearing with a lawyer allowed, caps suspensions for lateness at two days, and requires every district to take anonymous bullying reports.
閱讀全文: School discipline in North Carolina: the 10-day line, your hearing, and bullying reports
Massachusetts juvenile court handles offenses by people from 12 until their 18th birthday, murder charges at 14 and up go to adult court, and a delinquency record can be sealed after three clean years.
閱讀全文: Police and juvenile court in Massachusetts: ages 12 to 17, adult court, and sealing a record
South Carolina does not issue work permits, copies the federal hour limits for 14 and 15 year olds word for word, and has no minimum wage law of its own, so the federal $7.25 is the floor.
閱讀全文: Your first job in South Carolina: no permit, federal hours, and $7.25
New Jersey rules give students a hearing before most suspensions, schoolwork within five school days, and a bullying investigation with fixed deadlines. The famous school search case also started here.
閱讀全文: Suspensions and bullying reports in New Jersey schools: the timelines that protect you
A district Chromebook keeps working for the district after the last bell. Here is what the logging can include, what two Supreme Court cases say about a school's reach into your evening, and the one document to ask for.
閱讀全文: School laptops and what they log at home
Iowa is the home of Tinker v. Des Moines and one of the oldest student-press laws in the country. Here is how suspension, expulsion, bullying reports, and complaints work under Iowa Code, and where the appeal goes.
閱讀全文: Suspended, bullied, or censored in an Iowa school: what state law promises you
Minnesota sets its own hours for 14- and 15-year-olds and a school-night cutoff for 16- and 17-year-olds, and its minimum wage is well above the federal one. Here is what the Department of Labor and Industry publishes and how to reach it.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Minnesota: school-night hours, the $11.41 wage, and the Labor Standards line
Alaska hands out a learner's permit at 14, a provisional license at 16, adult status at 18, and a jury summons drawn partly from the PFD list; here is the timeline, with where each rule lives.
閱讀全文: Growing up in Alaska: the ages that unlock driving, voting, and more
Nebraska makes workers under 16 get an employment certificate through their school, caps their hours, and now lets employers pay 14- and 15-year-olds a lower youth wage. Here is how each rule works next to federal law.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Nebraska: the school-approved certificate, the 10 p.m. line, and the new youth wage
A first meeting with a lawyer goes better when you bring your papers, a short timeline, and your questions. Here is what to prepare and why the lawyer is on your side.
閱讀全文: Your first meeting with a lawyer: how to prepare
Federal law requires the yearly state tests, but it leaves opting out to the states and puts testing accommodations in the hands of the IEP or 504 team. Here is which rule controls which question.
閱讀全文: Testing accommodations and opt-outs: who decides
In Oregon, teens 14 to 17 do not carry a work permit. The employer gets a yearly certificate from BOLI instead, and the minimum wage depends on the county where you work.
閱讀全文: A first job in Oregon: the employer's certificate, your hours, and three minimum wages
Washington sets tighter hour limits for teens than federal law does, requires a parent and school signature during the school year, and lets 14- and 15-year-olds be paid 85 percent of the state minimum wage.
閱讀全文: Your first job in Washington: the school form, hour limits, and pay
In South Carolina, most cases for people under 18 go to family court, a lawyer is appointed at the detention hearing if you do not have one, and many juvenile records can be expunged after you turn 18.
閱讀全文: Picked up by police in South Carolina: family court, the 48-hour hearing, and clearing your record
Arkansas keeps most cases under 18 in the juvenile division of circuit court, requires officers to read minors their rights in their own language, and expunges most delinquency records at 21.
閱讀全文: Stopped by police in Arkansas: who goes to juvenile court, and what the code makes officers do first
Ohio requires a work permit from your school district for most workers ages 14 to 17, sets its own hour limits, and pays two different minimum wages depending on your age and the size of the business.
閱讀全文: Getting a job at 14 to 17 in Ohio: the permit, the hours, and the pay
Every worker under 18 in New Jersey needs working papers, and the state's hour limits are tighter than federal law for 16- and 17-year-olds. Here is what the rules say and who enforces them.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in New Jersey: working papers, hours, and the $15.92 wage
Mississippi's own child labor limits cover factories, mills, canneries, and workshops, and the state has no minimum wage law, so for most teen jobs the federal rules set the hours and the $7.25 pay floor.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Mississippi: why federal rules do most of the work
Michigan's juvenile court handles most cases for anyone under 18, many juvenile records are set aside automatically, and a 2026 law brings youth into the state's public defense system.
閱讀全文: Police and juvenile court in Michigan: under-18 jurisdiction, Clean Slate for Kids, and a new right to a lawyer
Tennessee requires school from age 6 through 17, gives families a short window to appeal long suspensions to a disciplinary hearing authority, and requires every district to have a written bullying policy.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Tennessee: the five-day appeal, the ten-day hearing, and bullying reports
A 2025 federal law makes it a crime to post fake intimate images of a real minor and gives you a way to make platforms remove them within 48 hours.
閱讀全文: Deepfakes of minors: what the TAKE IT DOWN Act says
In South Dakota, a student whose suspension or expulsion reaches the eleventh school day can ask for a due process hearing, every district must have a bullying policy with anonymous reporting, and school is required until age 18 or graduation.
閱讀全文: Suspended in South Dakota: the eleventh-day hearing, bullying reports, and school until 18
Two Supreme Court cases let public schools drug test athletes and club members without suspicion. Neither case lets a school test every student, and both set conditions.
閱讀全文: Drug testing of students: Vernonia, Earls, and the limits
In West Virginia, cases for people under 18 go to the juvenile side of circuit court, statements to police from anyone under 16 have extra protection, and juvenile records can be sealed a year after you turn 18.
閱讀全文: Police questions and juvenile court in West Virginia: the under-16 statement rule and what happens to your record
Maine's Juvenile Code covers most people ages 11 to 17, bars police from questioning an arrested juvenile until a parent is told, and seals many juvenile records once a case is finished.
閱讀全文: Arrested under 18 in Maine: the parent-first questioning rule, bind-over, and sealed records
A small red card can speak for you at the door. Here is what it says, why it works, and the few words to use if an immigration agent talks to you.
閱讀全文: Know-your-rights cards: what to say and not say to ICE
Wisconsin requires a work permit for 14- and 15-year-olds, keeps tight hour limits until age 16, and lets employers pay workers under 20 an opportunity wage of $5.90 for their first 90 days.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Wisconsin: the $10 permit, the 18-hour school week, and the $5.90 first 90 days
Utah does not use a state work permit. Its hours limits for workers under 16 match the federal ones, and its minimum wage is the federal $7.25.
閱讀全文: Your first job in Utah: age certificates, hours, and pay
Colorado's expulsion process has real deadlines, a hearing officer who cannot have a conflict of interest, and a right to appeal to the school board. It also limits suspensions for the youngest students and protects natural hair under the CROWN Act.
閱讀全文: Suspended or expelled in Colorado: the hearing, the 10-day appeal, and the rules that protect you
Vermont caps the hours of workers under 16, may require a certificate from the Commissioner of Labor, and has a minimum wage of $14.42 an hour, with one exception for students that every teen worker should know about.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Vermont: certificates, hour caps, and the student wage gap
Tennessee's Child Labor Act limits hours for 14- and 15-year-olds and, unlike federal law, also limits late school-night shifts for 16- and 17-year-olds. There is no state minimum wage, so the federal $7.25 applies.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Tennessee: school-night hours, the consent form, and pay
Utah law caps a principal's suspension at 10 school days, requires a parent meeting before a student returns, and makes every school district and charter school keep a bullying policy with an action plan for each incident.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Utah? The 10-day line, the parent meeting, and bullying reports
A step-by-step example using the Texas Public Information Act: what to ask for, the ten-business-day clock, and where to complain if the district goes quiet.
閱讀全文: Requesting district records with public records law
Florida's education code sets a 10-school-day cap on suspensions, sends expulsions to the elected school board, and names the anti-bullying law after a student. Here is how the pieces fit for a family in Florida.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Florida: the 10-day line, the code of conduct, and the Stand Up for All Students Act
A federal law called Section 230 usually shields apps from lawsuits over what users post. That changes who you ask for help, and a 2025 law adds a 48-hour removal rule for intimate images.
閱讀全文: Section 230 and getting content about you taken down
The federal HIPAA Privacy Rule usually lets parents see a minor's health records, but it has three exceptions, and state law decides a lot of the rest.
閱讀全文: Health privacy for teens: HIPAA, minor consent, and who sees your record
North Dakota law caps most suspensions at 10 days, requires a hearing before any expulsion, makes every district keep a bullying policy with anonymous reporting, and protects student journalists. Here is how those rules work in Grand Forks, Dickinson, or Williston.
閱讀全文: Suspended in North Dakota: the 10-day limit, the expulsion hearing, and your other school rights
In Missouri, a 14- or 15-year-old needs a work certificate signed by a school official before the first shift. Here are the hours, the pay, and the office that takes complaints.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Missouri: the school-signed certificate, the 7 p.m. rule, and $15
Hawaii requires a child labor certificate for every worker under 18, caps hours for 14 and 15 year olds, and raises its minimum wage on a fixed schedule. Here is how it works.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Hawaii: certificates, hours, and pay
Since 2022, Washington police must connect anyone under 18 with a lawyer before the young person can give up their rights. Here is how that rule works, when a case can go to adult court, and how juvenile records get sealed.
閱讀全文: Police questions and juvenile court in Washington: the lawyer-first rule
A 2024 federal law makes colleges count hazing, explain how to report it, and post the names of student groups found responsible. Here is what that means before you join a team or club.
閱讀全文: Hazing at college: what the Stop Campus Hazing Act makes schools report
Michigan requires a work permit for every worker under 18, limits hours for 16- and 17-year-olds when federal law does not, and lets employers pay minors 85% of the state minimum wage.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Michigan: the permit every minor needs, the 10:30 p.m. line, and the 85% wage
Delaware requires school from age 5 to 16, sends every bullying report to the state within 5 working days, and posts a Department of Justice ombudsperson's number in every school.
閱讀全文: Suspended, bullied, or accused at a Delaware school: what the state's rules say
A path to a green card for young people under 21 who cannot reunify with a parent because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. It takes two steps: a state court order, then a federal petition.
閱讀全文: Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: the basics
Federal law limits handguns for people under 18 and requires dealers to include a safety device. How guns must be stored at home is mostly up to each state.
閱讀全文: Safe storage laws and minors at home
A school can ban phones during class. What it can do about a video you post from home is a harder question, and the Supreme Court answered part of it in 2021.
閱讀全文: Filming in class and posting it: what a school can and cannot limit
Many schools use a threat assessment team to look into worrying words or posts. Here is how the process usually works, when police get involved, and what a student and family can ask.
閱讀全文: School threat assessments: what happens after something you said is reported
South Carolina caps a suspension at 10 days per offense and 30 per year, gives parents a conference within three days, and lets families bring a lawyer and see the whole file before an expulsion hearing.
閱讀全文: Suspended in South Carolina: the three-day conference, the expulsion hearing, and bullying reports
West Virginia law gives students an informal hearing with the principal before most suspensions, caps a principal's suspension at 10 school days, and sends expulsions to a county board hearing where a lawyer and witnesses are allowed.
閱讀全文: Suspended in West Virginia? The informal hearing, the 10-day limit, and the county board
In New Jersey, a charge against someone under 18 usually goes to the Family Part of Superior Court. Here is how a case moves, when it can go to adult court, and why a juvenile record does not disappear on its own.
閱讀全文: After a police stop in New Jersey: Family Part, waiver at 15, and clearing a juvenile record
Vermont caps suspensions at 10 school days, bars suspending most children under 8, makes every school name people to take bullying complaints, and protects student journalists by law.
閱讀全文: Vermont school rights: suspensions, bullying reports, and a free student press
A federal rule says a school cannot push a pregnant student out of class, a club, or a team, and must let her return to the same status after medically necessary leave. Here is what the rule actually says and who to ask.
閱讀全文: Pregnant and parenting students: what Title IX guarantees at school
Florida does not use work permits, but it caps hours for 14- and 15-year-olds and sets a 30-hour school-week limit for 16- and 17-year-olds. Here is what the state Child Labor Program says.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Florida: no work permit, but strict hours during the school year
Colorado's juvenile court covers ages 10 to 17, a parent must be present when police question a juvenile in custody, and most juvenile records can be expunged. Here is how those pieces fit, and where adult court can come in.
閱讀全文: Police questioning and juvenile court in Colorado: the parent-in-the-room rule
In Oklahoma, juvenile court covers people under 18, police questioning in custody usually needs a parent or other adult in the room, and a finished juvenile case can be sealed so that it is treated as if it never happened.
閱讀全文: Oklahoma teens and the police: questioning rules, youthful offenders, and sealed records
Minnesota's Pupil Fair Dismissal Act spells out what a school must do before it suspends or expels a student, and state law adds rules on bullying investigations and student journalism.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Minnesota: the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, bullying reports, and student press rights
In Oklahoma a 14- or 15-year-old gets a work permit from the school principal, the state keeps the federal hour limits for that age, and the minimum wage is the federal $7.25 for most employers.
閱讀全文: Your first job in Oklahoma: Form 601, school-night hours, and pay
Connecticut keeps most cases under 18 in juvenile court, bars police from using a statement from a child under 16 unless a parent was present, and erases many juvenile records. Here is what that means on the street and in court.
閱讀全文: Police questioning and juvenile court in Connecticut: the parent rule, the age line, and erased records
Kansas writes its suspension and expulsion process into statute, day by day. It also has an anti-bullying law and one of the country's oldest student press protections.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Kansas: the 10-day line, the 72-hour hearing, and a student press law
Some apps now ask for an ID or a face scan before you can sign up. Here is where that comes from, what the Supreme Court decided in 2025, and what a teenager can and cannot be asked to hand over.
閱讀全文: Age verification laws for social media accounts
Georgia's juvenile court stops at the 17th birthday, sends a short list of serious charges straight to adult court from age 13, and lets a young person ask to seal the record two years after the case ends.
閱讀全文: Under 17 in Georgia: juvenile court, adult court, and sealing the record
In West Virginia, 14- and 15-year-olds need an age certificate from the state Division of Labor before they start work, their hours are capped on school days, and most workers earn at least $8.75 an hour.
閱讀全文: Your first job in West Virginia: the age certificate, the hours, and the $8.75 wage
Texas treats people aged 10 through 16 as juveniles, requires a judge's warning before a child signs a statement in custody, and since 2023 bars cities and counties from enforcing youth curfews.
閱讀全文: Juvenile court in Texas ends at 17: police custody, confessions, and records
In Rhode Island a work permit comes from your city or town's school committee, you must finish a short online training first, 16- and 17-year-olds have a school-night cutoff of 11:30 p.m., and the minimum wage is $16 an hour, rising to $17 in 2027.
閱讀全文: Rhode Island teen jobs: the school permit, the training course, and the $16 wage
Virginia law sorts school removals into short-term suspensions (up to 10 school days), long-term suspensions (11 to 45 school days), and expulsions, each with its own steps. It also requires principals to tell parents about bullying within 24 hours.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Virginia? Notice, hearings, and the 24-hour bullying rule
Kansas child labor law is short and old, and most of it applies only to workers under 16. Here is what it says, where federal law adds more, and who to call.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Kansas: the under-16 rules, the permit exception, and $7.25
Pennsylvania's juvenile system handles offenses from age 10 to 18, some serious cases start in adult court, and a juvenile record stays unless it is expunged.
閱讀全文: Juvenile court in Pennsylvania: who it covers, adult transfer, and clearing a record
FERPA lets a school publish some facts about you, like your name, photo, and team roster spot, unless your family opts out in writing by the school's deadline. Here is how the opt-out works.
閱讀全文: Directory information under FERPA: what a school can share without asking
Missouri law lists the rights a young person must hear before police questioning in custody, sets when a case can move to adult court, and lets a court seal juvenile records after 18.
閱讀全文: Police and juvenile court in Missouri: six warnings before questioning, and what happens to the record
In Texas, an out-of-school suspension is capped at 3 school days per incident, expulsion always comes with a hearing, and every public school must have an anonymous way to report bullying.
閱讀全文: Suspension, DAEP, and bullying reports in Texas schools
The California ages that change what you can do: an instruction permit at 15 and a half, a provisional license and voter preregistration at 16, emancipation from 14, and adulthood, jury duty, and the ballot at 18.
閱讀全文: Growing up in California: 15 and a half, 16, 18, and the ages in between
Colorado does not require a work permit, but its Youth Employment Opportunity Act caps hours for anyone under 18 and lets employers pay most minors 85 percent of the state minimum wage. Here is how that fits with the federal floor.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Colorado: no permit, real hour limits, and an 85 percent wage
Delaware requires an employment certificate for every worker under 18, caps hours for under-16s, and pays a $15.00 minimum wage with no youth rate. Here is how the state rules and the federal floor fit together.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Delaware: the employment certificate, hours, and pay
If your public high school lets even one non-class club meet, a federal law says it cannot turn away your club because of what you plan to talk about. Here is what the Equal Access Act covers and the four conditions it sets.
閱讀全文: Student clubs and the Equal Access Act
Oregon has a statewide youth curfew from midnight to 4 a.m., sends most cases for people under 18 to juvenile court, appoints a lawyer when the charge is a crime, and lets many young people expunge their records.
閱讀全文: Oregon's juvenile court: the midnight curfew, your lawyer, and clearing your record
South Dakota limits how long and how late workers under 16 can work, but the federal rules are stricter in several places, and the stricter rule is the one that counts. The state minimum wage is $11.85 an hour.
閱讀全文: A teen job in South Dakota: school-night hours, the 10 p.m. line, and $11.85
Utah law gives a child in custody the right to have a parent or guardian present during police questioning, and a juvenile record in Utah can be expunged, sometimes automatically.
閱讀全文: Questioned by police in Utah: your parent's place in the room, juvenile court, and clearing a record
Pennsylvania's Child Labor Act requires a work permit for everyone under 18 and sets hour limits for 16- and 17-year-olds that federal law does not. Here is how the pieces fit.
閱讀全文: Your first job in Pennsylvania: the school work permit, hour caps, and pay
Vermont sends most cases involving young people under 19 to the Family Division of the Superior Court, gives every child in those cases a lawyer, and seals most delinquency records automatically two years after the case ends.
閱讀全文: Police and juvenile court in Vermont: the Family Division, age 19, and automatic sealing
The Supreme Court said in 1977 that paddling in public school is not cruel and unusual punishment. Whether a school can still do it today depends on your state and your district, and often on a form a parent signs.
閱讀全文: Corporal punishment: Ingraham v. Wright and where it is still allowed
A store can stop you, call police, and later mail your family a civil demand for money. Those are separate tracks, and each has its own rules.
閱讀全文: Shoplifting accusations and the letter that comes weeks later
In Rhode Island, cases against anyone under 18 start in Family Court, the attorney general can ask to move serious cases through waiver or certification, and juvenile police records are kept apart from adult records and out of public view.
閱讀全文: After a police stop in Rhode Island: Family Court, waiver, certification, and your record
Who goes to juvenile court in North Carolina, the rights police must read to anyone under 18 before questioning, and how a juvenile record can be erased after age 18.
閱讀全文: Police questions and juvenile court in North Carolina: ages, rights, and records
North Carolina requires a Youth Employment Certificate for every worker under 18, keeps 14 and 15 year olds to 3 hours on school days, bars late-night shifts before school for 16 and 17 year olds, and pays a $7.25 minimum wage.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in North Carolina: the certificate everyone under 18 needs
Hawaii runs one statewide school district under a single discipline rule, Chapter 19. Here is what it promises a student before a suspension, how an appeal works, and how bullying reports are handled.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Hawaii? Chapter 19, appeals, and bullying reports
Delivery apps set their own minimum ages, and federal child labor law puts tight limits on teens driving for work. Here is what each one says.
閱讀全文: Gig apps and minors: why delivery and rideshare apps say no until 18
A 1968 Supreme Court case from a Cleveland street corner still sets the rules for when police can stop you briefly and pat down your outer clothing.
閱讀全文: Stop and frisk: what Terry v. Ohio allows and what it does not
New Mexico issues work permits through schools and the Department of Workforce Solutions, follows the federal hour limits for 14- and 15-year-olds, and sets a $12.00 minimum wage.
閱讀全文: Your first job in New Mexico: work permits, hours, and the $12 wage
In Virginia, anyone under 18 is a juvenile. Before police question an arrested child, a parent must be notified and the child must get to talk with that parent. Most juvenile court records are destroyed at 19.
閱讀全文: Police and juvenile court in Virginia: calling a parent, transfer to adult court, and clearing records
Federal special-education rules give the student a seat at the IEP table, a required invitation at 16, and, at the age of majority, the parent's rights. Here is how to use that seat.
閱讀全文: IEP meetings: what a student can say, ask, and refuse
Georgia requires school from ages 6 to 16, runs long suspensions through a disciplinary tribunal with a hearing inside 10 school days, and makes every district investigate bullying reports.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Georgia: the tribunal, the 10-day clock, and the bullying rule
Oregon law caps suspensions at 10 school days and expulsions at one calendar year, protects students in fifth grade and below from most out-of-school suspensions, and tells schools exactly what to do after a bullying report.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Oregon? The 10-day limit, the bullying rules, and who to call
A public school cannot lead you in prayer, and it cannot stop you from praying on your own. The line between those two rules comes from three Supreme Court cases.
閱讀全文: Prayer, clubs, and religious expression at public school
If you or a parent does not speak English well, federal law and court policy give you ways to get a qualified interpreter in court. Here is where those rights come from and how to ask.
閱讀全文: Court interpreters and language access rights
In Illinois, juvenile court covers anyone under 18 at the time of the offense, police must ask a minor two plain questions before questioning, many records are erased automatically, and the curfew is a state law. Here is how it fits together.
閱讀全文: Police stops and juvenile court in Illinois: under 18, the two questions, and a statewide curfew
Workers' compensation is run by each state, it pays for medical care and lost wages after a job injury, and fault usually does not decide who gets it.
閱讀全文: Hurt at work: how workers' compensation works for teens
Illinois requires an employment certificate for anyone under 16, caps school-day work at 3 hours, and sets a lower youth minimum wage. Here is how the state rules and the federal floor fit together.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Illinois: the under-16 certificate, the 7 p.m. rule, and pay
Leaving home is not a federal crime, but the law still treats minors differently. Here is what youth shelters must do, including when they call your parents.
閱讀全文: Running away, youth shelters, and the law
Two federal visas protect immigrants who were hurt by a crime or by trafficking. Young people under 16 or 18 get special rules about helping police.
閱讀全文: U and T visas: protections for young crime victims
Nebraska's Student Discipline Act sets out who can suspend you, what notice you get, how fast you must ask for a hearing, and how long an expulsion can last. Here are the steps and the deadlines.
閱讀全文: Suspension and expulsion in Nebraska: the Student Discipline Act, step by step
A federal law lets a student who loses stable housing stay at the same school, get a ride there, and enroll immediately without the usual paperwork. Here is what it covers and who to call.
閱讀全文: McKinney-Vento: staying at your school when your family moves or loses housing
Maine lets a principal suspend for up to 10 days, gives students a real hearing before the school board can expel, sharply limits suspensions in grade 5 and below, and requires every district to take anonymous bullying reports.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Maine? The 10-day limit, the school board hearing, and bullying reports
Mississippi requires school from 6 to 17, makes every district write due-process steps into its code of student conduct, allows corporal punishment, and requires a posted bullying reporting procedure.
閱讀全文: Suspension, expulsion, and bullying in Mississippi schools: what the code of conduct owes you
Washington's discipline rules give every student a hearing before a suspension, cap how long a student can be kept out, and set a five-school-day clock for appeals and bullying decisions.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Washington? Hearings, time limits, and bullying reports
Kentucky law spells out what a school must do before it suspends you, when only the school board can expel you, and what every district's code must say about bullying.
閱讀全文: Discipline at school in Kentucky: your side of the story, the board hearing, and the bullying code
Ohio law caps suspensions at 10 school days, requires written notice and a chance to tell your side first, lets families appeal to the school board, and requires every district to have an anti-bullying policy.
閱讀全文: Suspended or bullied at school in Ohio: the notice, the hearing, and the appeal
Maryland requires a work permit for every worker under 18, sets its own hours rules for under-16s and a 12-hour school-plus-work cap for all minors, and lets employers pay under-18s 85% of the $15.00 state minimum wage.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Maryland: the online work permit, the 12-hour day, and the 85% wage
When an officer wearing a camera stops a teenager, the video goes somewhere. Here is what federal guidance says about consent, retention, and juveniles, and where the state rules take over.
閱讀全文: Body cameras and recordings of minors: who can see the footage
Missouri law sets who can suspend a student and for how long, when a family can appeal to the school board, and how fast a school has to start a bullying investigation.
閱讀全文: School discipline in Missouri: the 10-day line, the 180-day cap, and the two-day bullying clock
Wyoming does not issue work permits to minors, and its own minimum wage is $5.15. In practice, federal rules set most of the limits a Wyoming teen will meet on the job.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Wyoming: no permit needed, but the hour limits still count
In Indiana, police cannot question a child about a case until the child has talked with a parent or attorney, every child in juvenile court gets a free lawyer, and juvenile records do not vanish at 18. Here is how each of those works.
閱讀全文: Stopped by police or sent to juvenile court in Indiana: your rights, step by step
Three Supreme Court cases decide what police can ask of a passenger: you are stopped too, you can be told to step out, and you can be patted down only for a specific reason.
閱讀全文: You are the passenger: your rights during a traffic stop
Montana law caps a first suspension at 10 school days, lets only the school board expel, and bans bullying by students and staff alike. Here is how discipline works in a Montana public school and where a family goes when something goes wrong.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Montana: the 10-day limit, the school board's role, and the Bully-Free Montana Act
Idaho law caps a principal's suspension at five school days, requires written notice and a full hearing before any expulsion, and makes bullying an infraction. What a student in Meridian or Idaho Falls can actually ask for.
閱讀全文: Suspended or expelled in Idaho: the 5-day rule, the 10-day extension, and your hearing
DC law caps out-of-school suspensions at 5 straight days in elementary school and 10 in grades 6 through 12, bans suspending high schoolers for dress code or 'willful defiance', and requires every school to have a bullying policy with an appeal.
閱讀全文: Suspended in the District of Columbia: the 5-day, 10-day, and 20-day limits every DC student should know
Your home gets the strongest protection the Fourth Amendment offers. Here is what a knock means, when police need a warrant, and what to do if you are the one home.
閱讀全文: Police at the door: warrants, consent, and who can let them in
Iowa's juvenile court covers everyone under 18, a child under 16 cannot give up the right to a lawyer during questioning without a parent's written consent, and records can be sealed two years after the case ends. Here is how Chapter 232 works.
閱讀全文: Under 18 and stopped by police in Iowa: lawyers, waivers, and juvenile court
In New Hampshire, most offenses committed before 18 go to juvenile court, a case moves to adult court only after a transfer hearing, and juvenile records are kept confidential and closed when a person turns 21.
閱讀全文: Juvenile court in New Hampshire: under 18, the transfer hearing, and records closed at 21
Wyoming law spells out how a public school must suspend or expel a student, how long it can last, and what every district's bullying policy has to include.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Wyoming: the 24-hour call, the 10-day line, and your hearing
Abuse in a teen relationship is common, and much of it is emotional, digital, or financial rather than physical. A court order can help, and it works best alongside a safety plan.
閱讀全文: Dating violence and protective orders for teens
In Ohio, anyone who breaks a law before turning 18 is treated as a child by the juvenile court, only certain serious cases can move to adult court, and most juvenile records can be sealed without a filing fee.
閱讀全文: Ohio juvenile court after a police stop: who counts as a child, adult transfer, and sealing your record
Montana's Child Labor Standards Act and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act set the same hour limits for 14- and 15-year-olds, and Montana's minimum wage is well above the federal one, with no training wage. Here is what that means for a first job in Bozeman, Billings, or Kalispell.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Montana: the 7 p.m. line, the 18-hour week, and $10.85 an hour
New York's Raise the Age law set the age of criminal responsibility at 18, sends most teen misdemeanors to probation intake, and starts felony cases for 16- and 17-year-olds in a special Youth Part with a push toward Family Court.
閱讀全文: Arrested at 16 or 17 in New York: Raise the Age, the Youth Part, and Family Court
New Hampshire law limits how long a student can be suspended, requires a hearing before a longer suspension, lets parents appeal an expulsion to the state board of education, and sets deadlines for schools after a bullying report.
閱讀全文: Suspended in New Hampshire? The 10-day rule, the hearing, and the bullying clock
A lockdown does not switch off the Fourth Amendment. Here is what the drill rules come from, what a school can search when it fears a threat, and what stays the same.
閱讀全文: Lockdown drills and searches during emergencies
In Connecticut a suspension needs a hearing first, an expulsion needs a vote of the school board, and every school must have a school climate specialist who handles bullying reports. Here is how each step works.
閱讀全文: Suspension, expulsion, and bullying in Connecticut schools: what the law promises you
North Dakota sets 14 as the minimum age for most jobs, requires an Employment and Age Certificate for 14- and 15-year-olds, and follows the federal $7.25 minimum wage. Here is how that works for a teen in Fargo, Bismarck, or Minot.
閱讀全文: A first job in North Dakota: the age certificate, the 3-hour school day, and $7.25
Florida treats anyone under 18 as a child in juvenile court, lets prosecutors ask to move a case to adult court from age 14, and erases most juvenile criminal history at 21. Here is the map, with the curfew rule and where to find a public defender.
閱讀全文: Under 18 in Florida: juvenile court, transfer at 14, and what happens to the record
Why your first check is smaller than you expected, when overtime is owed, and who your tips belong to under federal law.
閱讀全文: Your first paycheck: tips, overtime, and what gets taken out
Arizona lets a 17-year-old register to vote if they turn 18 by the next general election, hands out learner permits at 15 and a half, and lets a self-supporting 16-year-old petition for emancipation. Here is the timeline, with the statute behind each age.
閱讀全文: Growing up in Arizona: the ages that unlock a permit, a ballot, and a court order
Louisiana requires an employment certificate for every worker under 18 and limits late hours for 16 and 17 year olds before school days, which goes further than federal law.
閱讀全文: Your first job in Louisiana: the employment certificate, school-night hours, and pay
Maryland caps a principal's suspension at 10 school days, gives families a 10-day window to appeal longer ones, nearly bans suspending students in pre-K through second grade, and protects student journalists by law.
閱讀全文: Suspensions, bullying reports, and student press rights in Maryland schools
Massachusetts teens under 18 need an employment permit from their school superintendent, state law caps hours through age 17, and the state minimum wage is well above the federal one.
閱讀全文: Your first job in Massachusetts: the superintendent's permit, the clock, and $15 an hour
Federal wage law lets you volunteer for nonprofits and government agencies, but a for-profit business generally cannot use unpaid volunteers, and school credit alone does not make unpaid work legal.
閱讀全文: Volunteering, unpaid internships, and school credit: where the line is
New York law gives families written notice and a meeting with the principal before a short suspension, a hearing before a longer one, an appeal to the state Commissioner of Education, and a statewide anti-bullying law.
閱讀全文: Suspended in New York: written notice, the informal conference, and the Dignity Act
The law gives parents the right to choose homeschooling, and it gives the state the job of checking that learning actually happens. Where a teenager's own wishes fit in is mostly left to the family, with a few real levers.
閱讀全文: Homeschooling and a teen's say in their own education
Wisconsin law caps most suspensions at 5 school days, gives families a conference to challenge one, and lets a student appeal an expulsion to the state superintendent.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Wisconsin: the 5-day limit, the conference you can ask for, and the road to an expulsion appeal
Connecticut requires working papers for every worker under 18, keeps most 14-year-olds out of paid jobs, and caps a 16-year-old's school-week hours below the federal floor. Here is how it works.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Connecticut: working papers, hours, and pay
Teen accounts are often tied to a parent's phone or an old email. Here is how two-factor login works, how to set up recovery before you need it, and what to do if you are locked out.
閱讀全文: Locked out: account recovery when you are under 18
In Wisconsin, a 17-year-old accused of a crime goes to adult court. Younger teens start in juvenile court, police must record custodial questioning at a detention site, and a juvenile record can be erased by petition at 17.
閱讀全文: Police and juvenile court in Wisconsin: why 17 counts as adult, recorded questioning, and clearing a record
A public school cannot ban a candidate's name on your shirt just because an adult disagrees with it. It can act when speech actually disrupts class, and it controls what goes in the school paper. The line comes from Tinker.
閱讀全文: Wearing a campaign shirt: political speech at school
Arkansas hands out rights in steps: a learner's license at 14, a chance to sign for yourself at 16, and a ballot and full adult status at 18. Here is each step and where to check it.
閱讀全文: Growing up in Arkansas: the ages that unlock a license, a ballot, and your own signature
Mississippi's youth court handles offenses committed before 18, but some serious charges start in adult circuit court. State law requires police to try to reach a parent and invite them to any questioning, and youth records are confidential.
閱讀全文: Police and youth court in Mississippi: custody, questioning, and who can see your record
New Mexico's state rules separate short suspensions of 10 school days or less from longer ones that require a formal hearing, and they tell schools exactly what to do after a bullying report.
閱讀全文: Suspended in New Mexico? Hearings, time limits, and bullying reports
Rhode Island requires school until 18, keeps most suspensions inside the school building, gives families a free appeal to the state education commissioner, and makes schools tell parents about a bullying report within 24 hours.
閱讀全文: Suspension and bullying rules in Rhode Island schools: in-school first, and a free appeal
Indiana got rid of work permits and now lets 16- and 17-year-olds work adult hours. Here is what still applies to 14- and 15-year-olds, what the pay floor is, and who to call.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Indiana: no permit, but real hour limits
Louisiana law gives students a chance to explain before any out-of-school suspension, a hearing within 15 school days before an expulsion, and a 10-school-day deadline for bullying investigations.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Louisiana? Your hearing, your appeal, and the bullying clock
Arkansas rules draw a hard line at 10 school days, require an appeal path for every suspension and expulsion, and give a school 5 school days to finish a bullying investigation.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Arkansas: the 10-day line, the appeal, and the bullying clock
Massachusetts law gives students a meeting before most suspensions, notice in the family's home language, an appeal to the superintendent after 10 days, and a hard limit of 90 school days.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Massachusetts: the meeting, the appeal, and the 90-day ceiling
New Mexico's Children's Code blocks most statements by kids under 15 from being used against them, gives every child a lawyer in delinquency cases, and lets records be sealed as if the case never happened.
閱讀全文: New Mexico teens and the police: questioning limits, children's court, and sealing a record
You cannot vote until 18, but many states let high school students help run an election. Here is how the rules work, using California as a real example, and where to find your own state's rules.
閱讀全文: Serving as a poll worker before you are eighteen
In Wyoming, juvenile court is part of the district court, cases are confidential, and some juvenile records can be expunged after age 18. Here is how the pieces fit.
閱讀全文: Wyoming teens and the law: police questions, juvenile court, and clearing a record
Idaho's Juvenile Corrections Act covers anyone under 18, requires an officer to notify a parent, and lets most people petition to expunge a juvenile record after 18. What a teen in Nampa or Lewiston should know before it matters.
閱讀全文: Police stops and juvenile court in Idaho: under 18, the 24-hour rule, and clearing a record
Iowa lets 14- and 15-year-olds work later and longer than federal law does, but most employers must follow the stricter rule. Here is what Iowa's Wage and Child Labor Unit publishes and how to reach it.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Iowa: the hours chart, the $7.25 floor, and who to call
New Hampshire requires a youth employment certificate before age 16, caps school-week hours for 16- and 17-year-olds even though federal law does not, and ties its minimum wage to the federal one.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in New Hampshire: the youth certificate, the 23-hour week, and your pay
Some states let students sit on the school board itself. Everywhere, students can speak during public comment. California's law is a clear example of both.
閱讀全文: Student school board seats and public comment
In DC, a case for someone under 18 goes to the Family Court of the Superior Court, a District-wide curfew starts at 11 p.m. on school nights, and a juvenile record can be sealed two years after the case ends.
閱讀全文: Stopped by police in the District of Columbia: Family Court, the 11 p.m. curfew, and sealing a juvenile record
In Tennessee, juvenile court handles people under 18. Some 16- and 17-year-olds, and younger teens charged with the most serious crimes, can be sent to adult court. Juvenile records can be expunged, and public defenders represent young people who cannot pay.
閱讀全文: Police and juvenile court in Tennessee: who counts as a juvenile, adult transfer, and clearing a record
In Alaska, a case involving someone under 18 goes to the Division of Juvenile Justice, not straight to a judge; the most serious felonies at 16 or 17 are the exception, and records are sealed 30 days after you turn 18.
閱讀全文: Stopped by police in Alaska: juvenile court, questioning, and your record
Federal law bans sexual harassment at work, teens included. Once an employer knows about it, the employer has to act, and reporting it the right way protects your rights.
閱讀全文: Harassment at a first job: what the law requires an employer to do
Oklahoma law gives every student suspended out of school a right to appeal, caps most suspensions at the current and next semester, and tells each district exactly what its bullying policy must do.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Oklahoma: your appeal, the semester limit, and bullying reports
Idaho does not hand out work permits, but a 1907 state law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act both limit how much a 14- or 15-year-old in Nampa or Pocatello can work. Here is how the two fit together.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Idaho: no permit, two sets of hour limits, and a $7.25 floor
Michigan law makes schools consider seven factors before any suspension or expulsion, requires every district to have a bullying policy, and keeps most students in school until 18.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Michigan? The seven factors your school must weigh, and the Matt Epling bullying law
Maine requires a work permit for every job before age 16, limits hours for 16- and 17-year-olds even though federal law does not, and sets a state minimum wage well above the federal one.
閱讀全文: Your first job in Maine: the superintendent's permit, the hour limits, and $15.10
South Dakota's juvenile court handles most offenses by people under 18, starting at age 10. Some felony charges at 16 or 17 go straight to adult court, and a juvenile record can be sealed one year after the case ends.
閱讀全文: Police and juvenile court in South Dakota: ages 10 to 18, the adult-court rule at 16, and sealing a record
Georgia requires a work permit only until your 16th birthday, sets almost no hour limits for 16 and 17 year olds, and has a $5.15 state minimum wage that the federal $7.25 almost always overrides.
閱讀全文: Working as a teen in Georgia: the under-16 permit, hours, and the $7.25 question
Illinois limits a suspension to 10 school days and an expulsion to 2 years, gives parents a right to a review, and protects student journalists and natural hairstyles by statute. Here is what to expect and what to ask for.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Illinois: the 10-day cap, the review you can ask for, and the laws behind it
Nevada layers its own child labor chapter on top of the federal rules. Here is what that means for a 15-year-old at a snack bar or a 17-year-old closing a store in Reno.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Nevada: hours, late nights, and the $12 wage
Virginia requires every 14- and 15-year-old worker to get an Employment Certificate from the state before the first shift. Hours limits apply under 16, and the state minimum wage is $12.77, with some teen exceptions.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Virginia: employment certificates, hours, and the wage floor
Diversion lets a young person finish a set of conditions instead of being prosecuted. Here is how it works, what it can ask of you, and what to ask before you sign.
閱讀全文: Diversion programs: how a juvenile case can end without court
Indiana requires school from the year you turn 7 until 18 or graduation, gives you an expulsion meeting before you can be expelled, and makes every school report bullying to the state. Here is how to use those rules.
閱讀全文: Suspended or bullied in an Indiana school: what the state actually requires
Federal child labor law lets kids of any age work in a business their parents entirely own, with limits on mining, manufacturing, and hazardous jobs. Family farms get a wider exemption.
閱讀全文: Working for your family's business: what the exemptions cover
Pennsylvania's state rules for students, known as Chapter 12, spell out when you get a hearing, how long a suspension can last, and what an expulsion requires.
閱讀全文: Suspended in Pennsylvania? Chapter 12 hearings, bullying help, and your right to speak
Nebraska tells police to inform anyone under 18 in custody of the right to call a lawyer, keeps most cases in juvenile court, and has a clear process to seal juvenile records. Here is how each piece works.
閱讀全文: Police custody and juvenile court in Nebraska: the attorney rule, the age lines, and sealing a record
Federal regulators have made Apple, Google, Amazon, and Epic Games pay back charges kids made without a parent's OK. Here is what that means when a game bill surprises your family.
閱讀全文: In-game purchases, loot boxes, and refunds for minors
Nevada law gives officers an exact script to read to a child in custody, limits the tactics they can use, and seals most juvenile records automatically after age 18.
閱讀全文: Nevada youth and the police: the rights script, juvenile court, and sealed records
Alabama is one of two states where you are legally a minor until 19, yet you can hold a learner's permit at 15, drive alone at 16, register to vote at 17, and vote at 18. Here is the timeline with the official pages behind it.
閱讀全文: Growing up in Alabama: why adulthood starts at 19, and what you can do at 15, 16, 17, and 18
Police can take fingerprints and a cheek swab after a real arrest. Two Supreme Court cases, one about a 14-year-old, draw the line on when that is allowed and what happens to the records.
閱讀全文: Fingerprints, DNA, and photos taken from minors
In North Dakota, juvenile court handles most cases for people under 18, a lawyer is appointed for any child accused of delinquency regardless of family income, and a child under 14 cannot give up that lawyer. Here is how the process works in Minot, Bismarck, or Jamestown.
閱讀全文: Juvenile court in North Dakota: a free lawyer, a call to your parent, and records that can be destroyed
In Maryland, police must let a child consult a lawyer before a custodial interrogation, and that right cannot be waived. Juvenile court covers children under 18, generally from age 13, and some records can later be expunged.
閱讀全文: Maryland's lawyer-first rule for police questioning, and how juvenile court works
Nevada law says who can be suspended or expelled, what a student must be told first, and how fast a school has to act after a bullying report.
閱讀全文: Suspension, bullying reports, and your rights at school in Nevada
Someone online has an image of you and wants money. Paying rarely stops it. Here are the steps the FBI and NCMEC recommend, in order.
閱讀全文: Sextortion: what to do in the first hour
Texas limits the hours of 14- and 15-year-olds, sets no hour limits for 16- and 17-year-olds, and uses the federal $7.25 minimum wage. Here is how state and federal rules fit together.
閱讀全文: Teen jobs in Texas: the hours, the pay, and who to call
Minnesota's juvenile court handles cases for people under 18, but some cases can move to adult court starting at 14. Here is how certification, public defenders, and expungement work under Minnesota law.
閱讀全文: Juvenile court in Minnesota: under 18, certification at 14, and a lawyer from age 10
Louisiana moved 17-year-olds back to adult court on April 19, 2024. Here is who juvenile court covers now, when a case can go to adult court, and how juvenile records get expunged.
閱讀全文: Juvenile court in Louisiana: the age-17 line, adult court, and clearing a record
Anyone can report suspected child abuse, and most state hotlines take reports without a name. Here is what the agency does next, step by step.
閱讀全文: Reporting abuse anonymously: what happens after the call
Montana's Youth Court Act covers everyone under 18, requires police to call a parent when a youth is taken in for questioning, and sets its own rule on who can give up the right to a lawyer. Here is how it works, and how records get sealed.
閱讀全文: Police questioning and youth court in Montana: the age-16 waiver rule and records sealed at 18
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