MASON - A judge on Thursday acquitted a middle aged man of an assault charge for pulling down his stepdaughter's underpants before spanking her. The judge, when faced with the question: "Should a middle aged man be allowed to spank a teenaged girl?" ruled that the legal answer is "yes". Since the girl was his legal responsibility, the court ruled that it is up to him to discipline her, in a reasonable manner, as he saw fit. "Beyond embarrassment for the girl", said the judge, "corporal punishment, which causes no lasting damage, is wholly appropriate".

Despite early maturity, until the girl's of legal age she can be spanked.