Legal Definitions - pupillarity

PUPILLARITY

Pupillarity is a term used in Scots and civil law to describe the stage of a person's life that starts from infancy and ends at puberty.

During pupillarity, a child is considered to be under the legal guardianship of their parents or other appointed guardians. This means that the child's parents or guardians are responsible for making decisions on their behalf, such as where they live, what school they attend, and what medical treatment they receive.

For example, if a child falls ill during pupillarity, their parents or guardians would be responsible for taking them to the doctor and making decisions about their treatment. Similarly, if the child's parents were to separate or divorce during this time, they would need to make arrangements for the child's care and custody.

Another example of pupillarity is the age at which a child can legally consent to sexual activity. In Scotland, the age of consent is 16, which means that anyone under this age is considered to be in a state of pupillarity and unable to give legal consent.

These examples illustrate how pupillarity is a period of life when a child is still developing and requires the guidance and protection of their parents or guardians. It is a time when important decisions are made on their behalf, and when they are not yet considered to have the legal capacity to make their own choices.