Hi,
Thanks for your question. It is legal to simply "date" anyone. It is even legal for a 20 year old to marry an under age spouse so long as the judge and the parents approve it. However, that being said, it is ILLEGAL to have sexual relations with anyone under the age of 17, even if they consent to it. This is called Strict Liability because you are strictly liable regardless of whether the girl consents to the sexual act.
Please let me caution you that most relationships with 16 year old girls end poorly (how many of us ended up marrying our high school prom dates??) and that is usually when the police are called in. You also have to worry about the parents, who have the right to call the police and have you arrested should they witness, or claim to witness, a sexual act. If this happens (and it almost always does) you are not simply risking a slap on the wrist and a fine. You will be facing severe jail time as the ADA can prosecute you even if the girl does not want you to be punished.
As counsel, I must advise you that you are walking down a very risky path that almost never ends well. Seek women your own age. If you find you have nothing in common with them, seek therapy to find out why. But seeking a 16 year old is almost never going to work out well.
Best of luck.
Answered on Nov 05th, 2012 at 11:07 AM