Dear GirlLegal: I just need to know how old you have to be with a guy older than you in the state of Nebraska. I’m 17 and I’m with this guy that is 27. And I just need to know whether or not it would be alright.

Dear Jojo from Nebraska: Thank you for your question. By “be with” I am assuming that you mean “dating” this certain individual who is 27 years of age. I hope the following information helps you.

To answer your question directly, in the state of Nebraska all persons under nineteen years of age are declared to be minors, but in case any person marries under the age of nineteen years, his or her minority ends.

However, the age of majority, or emancipation, of a minor in Nebraska varies. The legal drinking age is different from the legal driving age, for example. The Nebraska Statutes and constitution can be searched with terms like “age of majority” or “minor” in order to find a more specific answer. Persons seeking legal interpretations of the statutes should contact an attorney.

Essentially, this means that unless you are legally emancipated (via a court order by the state of Nebraska) or are legally married, then your 27-year-old friend could find himself in some trouble with the law for dating you. A platonic friendship (non-sexual friendship) should not be a problem, but a intimate and/or sexual relationship very well could be.

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