Essentially, the Texas Romeo and Juliet law exempts teenagers and young adults who engage in sexual relations with teens under the age of consent from being classified as sex offenders. The accusation of having sexual relations with a minor is a serious matter. Your rights, future, and freedom are at stake. But the Romeo and Juliet law may apply to your case. We recommend consulting with a criminal defense attorney to see if this law applies to you.

Like some other states, Texas has enacted this law to protect teenagers who are close in age from facing sex crime charges and convictions when they have consensual sex, even when one or both teens are below the legal age of consent which, in Texas, is Romeo and Juliet law also protects these teens from having to register as sex offenders. Therefore, what might be considered statutory rape from one standpoint is instead considered legal given the nature of Texas' Romeo and Juliet law.

The Texas Age of Consent is 17 years old. In the United States, the age of consent is the minimum age at which an individual is considered legally old enough to consent to participation in sexual activity. Individuals aged 16 or younger in Texas are not legally able to consent to sexual activity, and such activity may result in prosecution for statutory rape.