If your child injures someone or damages property, will you have to pay the bills? Will the court order it to be debited out of your checking or savings account?
Or maybe it will happen as it did in the case of a boy who thought he was an artist and spray painted the sides of office buildings. His parents were ordered by the court to work with him to repaint the walls. And they had to buy the paint.
Parental liability laws have been passed in 29 states and the District of Columbia. In California, parents can be fined or jailed for allowing children to participate in gangs. Wisconsin requires parents to pay child support when their under-age kids have babies. In Florida, parents can serve jail time if their child hurts another with a gun.
Parental liability laws have been passed to reduce juvenile crime and to compensate victims.
Take steps to keep your family out of trouble.
* Let kids know that if they harm a person or his property, not only will their allowance cease, but you might have to pay a lot of money to the people they hurt. The American Bar Association’s public education division has age-appropriate material about how laws work. Visit abanet.org/publicized.
* Take your kids to visit the court so they can see what happens to young adults guilty of injury, property damage, or drunk driving.
* Supervise. Courts are stern with parents for not knowing what their son or daughter is doing. In Arkansas, Kentucky, and Ohio, parents of chronic school skippers can be fined or jailed.
What to do if it happens: If it’s very serious, call a lawyer. If not, try to negotiate with the injured party. If the injury or damage was accidental, it could be covered by homeowner’s insurance.