Can I go to the doctor without my parents′ permission?
Most doctors, health care professionals and hospitals require written permission from your parents or legal guardian before seeing you. There
Judge Tom
Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.
Can I start my own business?
The general answer is yes. Because many employers won′t hire anyone younger than fifteen or sixteen, entrepreneurial teens have found
Can I open my own bank account?
Between expenses for transportation, personal items, and entertainment, you may be living from paycheck to paycheck. But if you′re in
Do I have to pay income taxes?
Given the size of your paycheck, you may think that as a teenager you don′t have to worry about filing
If I work, will I be making minimum wage?
The Fair Labor Standards Act establishes an hourly minimum wage for the U.S. workforce. When the Act was passed in
What do I put on a job application if I′m asked about prior arrests?
You should write the truth. The exact phrasing of the question on the application is important. There′s a difference between
What are my rights as a working teenager?
You may feel that you have few rights as a teenager, and even fewer while at work. You get the
How do labor laws affect me when I look for work and get a job?
Here are some old laws that may still be on the books in these states: In Florida, you must be
Do students with AIDS have a right to an education?
Ryan White was thirteen years old when he was diagnosed with the virus that causes AIDS. He had been infected
I′m a student with a disability. What rights do I have?
Not long ago, children with disabilities were excluded from the same educational advantages given to students without disabilities. Beginning in