Abstract: The subject of this research is the legal norms on the status of underage parents. Custody of a child of underage parents is regulated by special rules in Russia and abroad. The Russian legal model of child custody of underage parents is yet to be established. Unlike the countries of Germanic legal group (Germany, Switzerland, and Austria), the legislation of which features detailed description of the legal status of underage parents, the Russian legislation requires further improvement in this regard. Application of the method of comparative jurisprudence allowed determining the common and distinctive characteristics in the legal status of underage parents in German, Austrian, Swiss, and Russian legislation. The common feature for all aforementioned legislations consists in automatic removal of custody of a child of an underage parent when such parent attains the age of majority. In the author’s opinion, the best model of child custody (with regards to a child of underage parents who have reached the age of 16) is German model: an underage parent with partial civil capacity and a guardian both have rights to participate in parenting of a child, while guardian is the only legal representative of a child of an underage parent (in case if a child has no parents of the age of majority).

Abstract: The subject of this research is the legal norms on the status of underage parents. Custody of a child of underage parents is regulated by special rules in Russia and abroad. The Russian legal model of child custody of underage parents is yet to be established. Unlike the countries of Germanic legal group (Germany, Switzerland, and Austria), the legislation of which features detailed description of the legal status of underage parents, the Russian legislation requires further improvement in this regard. Application of the method of comparative jurisprudence allowed determining the common and distinctive characteristics in the legal status of underage parents in German, Austrian, Swiss, and Russian legislation. The common feature for all aforementioned legislations consists in automatic removal of custody of a child of an underage parent when such parent attains the age of majority. In the author’s opinion, the best model of child custody (with regards to a child of underage parents who have reached the age of 16) is German model: an underage parent with partial civil capacity and a guardian both have rights to participate in parenting of a child, while guardian is the only legal representative of a child of an underage parent (in case if a child has no parents of the age of majority).