In California, the legal age of consent is 18 years old. This means that anyone under the age of 18 is considered a minor and cannot legally consent to sexual activity. Statutory rape is a criminal offense that occurs when someone engages in sexual activity with a minor under the age of 18, regardless of whether the minor consents to the sexual activity or not.

California has a "Romeo and Juliet" law that provides some leniency in cases involving minors who are close in age. If both individuals engaging in sexual activity are minors and the age difference is three years or less, it may be considered a misdemeanor offense rather than a felony. However, its important to note that this exception does not apply when one of the individuals is 18 years old or older.

The legal consequences of statutory rape in California depend on the age difference between the parties involved. If an adult engages in sexual intercourse with a minor who is not more than three years younger or three years older than them, they will be charged with a misdemeanor that carries a maximum jail term of one year. If an adult engages in sexual intercourse with a minor who is more than three years older than them, they will be charged with either a misdemeanor or a felony. The felony conviction carries a maximum jail sentence of 16 months, two years, or three years.

Its important to note that children of any age can get married in California if they have the consent of both parents (exceptions apply) but must be 18 to marry without the consent of their parents. However, marriage does not exempt individuals from the age of consent law.