Age

New Year, New Rules: Virginia to Introduce Fresh Laws in 2025 Boosting Minimum Wage, Adjusting Jury Duty Age, and More

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Richmond, VA – A series of significant legislative changes will take effect in Virginia starting January 1, 2025, impacting various aspects of life from wages to education and healthcare. These new laws are set to bring about considerable transformations across the Commonwealth, reflecting ongoing efforts to adapt to economic conditions and public health needs. One of the key changes concerns the state’s minimum wage, which will see an adjustment to reflect inflationary pressures. The current minimum wage of $12.00 per hour will be increased to $12.41. This adjustment is part of a broader strategy to … Read more

North Carolina Amends ‘Raise the Age’ Law: Certain Felonies to Send 16, 17-Year-Olds to Adult Court Starting December

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Raleigh, North Carolina – A significant amendment to North Carolina’s juvenile justice law, commonly known as “Raise the Age,” will soon change how 16 and 17-year-olds charged with specific felonies are processed in the state’s legal system. Starting on December 1, these teenagers will be tried as adults if they commit violent felonies, marking a departure from the state’s recent practices focusing on rehabilitation for young offenders. In 2019, North Carolina updated its juvenile justice laws, implementing the “Raise the Age” initiative, which ceased the automatic prosecution of 16 and 17-year-olds as adults for misdemeanors … Read more

Teen Shatters Age Barriers, Becomes Nation’s Youngest Practicing Lawyer

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Los Angeles, CA — A remarkable legal milestone has been achieved by Haley Taylor Schlitz, a 19-year-old from Texas, who distinguished herself as the youngest practicing lawyer in the United States after passing the California bar exam. Schlitz’s achievement marks a significant moment not only in her career but also within the broader legal community, reflecting shifting dynamics in legal education and early professional achievement. Schlitz’s interest in law emerged unusually early. She graduated from public high school at age 13 and promptly enrolled in community college, later transferring to Texas Woman’s University from which … Read more

Iraq Considers Lowering Legal Marriage Age to 9, Igniting Nationwide Protests and Global Concern

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Baghdad, Iraq — A proposed law in Iraq that would lower the legal age for girls to marry to as young as nine has sparked controversy and widespread opposition. The law, supported by some Shia groups, seeks to change the current legal minimum age of 18 for marriage, potentially allowing pre-teen girls to be wed. Under this legislation, parents would be able to arrange marriages for their very young daughters, a move that critics claim undermines the rights and welfare of Iraqi girls. Additionally, the proposal would permit religious authorities to conduct marriages, further embedding … Read more