Pa. Cons. Stat. » 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. (DOMESTIC RELATIONS) / Chapter 51
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5101 (2026)

 Attainment of full age.

✓ current as of May 2026
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PART VI

CHILDREN AND MINORS

 

Chapter

51.  General Provisions

52.  Uniform Child Abduction Prevention

53.  Child Custody

54.  Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement

55.  Liability for Tortious Acts of Children

56.  Standby and Temporary Guardianship

57.  Sex Trafficking and Missing and Abducted Children

 

Enactment.  Unless otherwise noted, Part VI was added October 30, 1985, P.L.264, No.66, effective in 90 days.

 

 

CHAPTER 51

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Sec.

5101.  Attainment of full age.

5102.  Children declared to be legitimate.

5103.  Acknowledgment and claim of paternity.

5104.  Blood tests to determine paternity.

5105.  Fingerprinting of children.

 

Enactment.  Chapter 51 was added December 19, 1990, P.L.1240, No.206, effective in 90 days.

§ 5101.  Attainment of full age.

(a)  Age for entering into contracts.--Any individual 18 years of age and older shall have the right to enter into binding and legally enforceable contracts and the defense of minority shall not be available to such individuals.

(b)  Age for suing and being sued.--Except where otherwise provided or prescribed by law, an individual 18 years of age and older shall be deemed an adult and may sue and be sued as such.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1993–2025 · leading case: Kach v. Hose ex rel. St. Moritz Sec. Servs., Inc., 589 F.3d 626 (3rd Cir. 2009).
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Kach v. Hose ex rel. St. Moritz Sec. Servs., Inc., 589 F.3d 626 (3rd Cir. 2009). · cites it 2× “See 23 Pa. Cons.Stat. § 5101(b). Thus, to come within Miller's narrow exception, Each would have to show that she was mentally incompetent and that her mental incompetence predated the government conduct that is alleged to have caused her injuries.”
Milicic v. Basketball Mktg. Co., Inc., 857 A.2d 689 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2004). “[Appellee] was a child, living in a foreign country, when he signed the agreement that [A]ppellant, an experienced business corporation, drafted.”
Rivera v. Reading Hous. Auth., 819 F. Supp. 1323 (E.D. Pa. 1993). “" 23 Pa.Cons.Stat.Ann. § 5101(a) (1991). 12 .”
Shaner v. State Sys. of Higher Educ., 40 Pa. D. & C.4th 308 (1998). “” 23 Pa.C.S. §5101(a). . Defendants may have simply overlooked the release language even though they had possession of the registration form early in the litigation.”
R. West v. Pittsburgh Pub. Schs. ~ Appeal of: The Bd. of Educ. of the Sch. Dist. of Pittsburgh, PA (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2024). · cites it 2× “” 23 Pa.C.S. § 5101 (a), (b). On the other hand, while legally competent to make contracts, it is clear that intellectually impaired or incapacitated persons do not always have the same ability to manage their affairs as do other adults with full capacity.”
Paris, A. v. Paris, N. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025). “See 23 Pa.C.S. §§ 5101 (attainment of full age), 5202 (defining “child”).”
Minah Fowler, by Her Mother & Next Friend, Hope Fowler v. Sec'y of the Dep't of Health & Human Servs. 0 (Fed. Cl. 2013). “23 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 5101 (West 2013).”
— 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5101(a) — 2 cases
Rivera v. Reading Hous. Auth., 819 F. Supp. 1323 (E.D. Pa. 1993). “" 23 Pa.Cons.Stat.Ann. § 5101(a) (1991). 12 .”
Shaner v. State Sys. of Higher Educ., 40 Pa. D. & C.4th 308 (1998). “” 23 Pa.C.S. §5101(a). . Defendants may have simply overlooked the release language even though they had possession of the registration form early in the litigation.”
— 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5101(b) — 1 case
Kach v. Hose ex rel. St. Moritz Sec. Servs., Inc., 589 F.3d 626 (3rd Cir. 2009). “See 23 Pa. Cons.Stat. § 5101(b). Thus, to come within Miller's narrow exception, Each would have to show that she was mentally incompetent and that her mental incompetence predated the government conduct that is alleged to have caused her injuries.”
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