Judge Tom

Unless you are “emancipated”, your parents are legally responsible to provide for you and make decisions on your behalf until you are an adult. Emancipation means that you are legally free from your parents, but you also have the responsibilities of being an adult. To learn more about emancipation, click here. Since you are still a minor and assuming you haven’t been emancipated, you could be cited or even arrested for being a runaway if you move out of your parents’ house without their permission. Perhaps you could try sitting down and calmly talking to your parents about how you feel and why you would like to move out. Maybe you could reach some sort of compromise that would make you feel better about staying at home or maybe they would let you move out if you have somewhere safe to live. Good luck. (Check our Resource Directory for more help and resources in your area. This is information only – not legal advice.)