Police in Los Angeles are considering bringing charges against a woman who filed a paternity suit against Canadian pop star Justin Bieber.
According to the paternity suit, the woman had sex with Bieber when she was 19 and he was 16. She alleges that the incident resulted in her pregnancy and that the Canadian pop star is the father of her infant son. She has now filed a lawsuit, demanding that the court require the singer to submit to a paternity test and that the court order child support payments.
However, with the lawsuit filing, the woman may have also opened herself up to charges of statutory rape. At the time of the alleged incident, she was 19 and the singer was 16, which means he was legally considered a minor at the time. The incident took place in California, and, under California law, an adult can be charged with statutory rape if he or she has sex with an individual under age 18.
In New Jersey, statutory rape charges can be filed in two situations. In the first situation, charges of aggravated sexual assault can be filed against a person who engages in the sexual penetration of a person younger than 13. In the second situation, charges of sexual assault can be filed against a person who engages in sexual penetration of a minor who is between 13 and 16 when the accused is four years older than the minor.
The New Jersey family lawyers at Helmer Paul Conley and Kasselman represent persons in divorce, child custody, child support, domestic violence and other family law-related issues across New Jersey.
