Coult,
Most of us are looking at the underage baptisms apparently not so much as a contract, but, shall we say, an oath. I look at the oath I took as invalid. I was only 15 years old. For most crimes, had I committed any, they would have been removed from the public record at the age of 18. I am starting to see my baptism/oath/contract..call it what you will...in the same vein.
Regardless what we call it or how we view our youthful agreements, the WT views it as a life binding legal contract. Since 1985 they modified the baptism questions to close most loop holes. 144001 explained why answering "yes" to the second baptism question by an eleven year old does become binding even on an adult:
Upon reaching the age of majority, an individual can ratify (surrender the power of avoidance) a contract entered into as a minor. The issue of whether ratification has occurred is dependent upon the unique facts and circumstances of each case, but in general, any manifestation of an undertaking to be bound by the original transaction could be deemed to constitute ratification. In the case of a minor who was baptized, the acts of continuing to attend meetings, engage in field service, give talks, and doing the rest of what constitutes being a JW would most likely be asserted by the Watchtower as acts constituting ratification.
I think that means if you keep playing their games after growing up then you effectively "ratify" the commitment of the eleven year old child. So how about the child who gets baptized because their friends were getting dunked, but shortly after puberty they pitched a fit, quit meetings and field service except to the degree they were forced to comply by their parents and split completely when they come of age. Then at age 20 it is announced they are DF'd because they were seen smoking a cigarette. Would they not have a case, if they can prove damages, against the WT? What evidence, if a client and the right attorney took it to court, could the WT present that gave them "ecclesiastical authority" over this adult? Jst2laws