Note: The DearEsq free 'ask a lawyer' site is offered as a free informational service to the public and is not intended as legal advice. Laws vary from state-to-state, and in addition every situation is unique, and relevant facts may not be known. The answer to the question posed below may not apply to in your state or to your situation. For legal advice in your state and your situation you should consult with an attorney in your state who is familiar with the rules and laws in your state.
“My son is 20 and his girlfriend is 16 and having a baby. She got in trouble for truancy and lives with me, while my son lives with his grandma. They went to Maryland and got married, can they get in trouble?”
There simply isn’t enough information in this question to answer it with any certainty. Your question seems to be ‘can an adult get in trouble for marrying a minor whom he got pregnant’, and it depends on so much. Is the marriage legal, or is it void or voidable? That will depend on many factors, including the state in which they got married, the state in which they reside, and whether the minor had the permission of a parent or legal guardian. Moreover, it’s not clear who would get them in trouble, although (and again, depending on the states involved) your son may be guilty of statutory rape (which is illegal even if the minor consents). However, so long as nobody complains, they are unlikely to get in trouble, however they may or may not actually be legally married, and its worth checking with an attorney in the state of residence to determine whether they are, in fact, married.
