June 20, 2016
Judge Tom
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Judge Tom

We’re sorry to hear about your circumstances. Unless you are “emancipated”, your mother is 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. It’s a difficult status to obtain as you have to show the court that you are financially independent, able to pay your own bills and make mature decisions about all aspects of your life. Since you are still a minor, you could be cited or even arrested for being a runaway if you move out of your mother’s house. Perhaps you could try sitting down and calmly talking to your mom about how you feel and why you would like to move out. If she’s willing to work with you and even let you live with another relative, then there wouldn’t be a problem. Finally, you could try talking to another adult you trust like a teacher, school counselor, a friend’s parent or another relative. They may be able to help you deal with your circumstances. Good luck. (Check our Teen Help Network for more help and resources in your area. This is information only – not legal advice.)

Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.