Question:
Does a person under 18 who is legally married in Texas gain the full legal capacity of an adult, including the power to enter into contracts?
Answer:
Yes. Under Texas Family Code § 1.104, any person who has been married in accordance with Texas law—regardless of age—gains the full legal capacity and power of an adult. This includes the legal ability to enter into binding contracts. The law makes no exception based on age once the marriage is legally valid. The intent is clear: marriage, once lawful, confers adulthood in the eyes of the law for most civil purposes. The only limits on that capacity are those explicitly carved out by statute or the Texas Constitution. This means, for example, that a 17-year-old who is legally married can sign a lease, make medical decisions, or start a business without parental consent, unless a specific law says otherwise.