Q: I am 17 and wont turn 18 until march 31st my dad kicked me out is there any way I can leave state
My dad kicked me out on April 20th I have been supporting myself I get food stamps and will be receiving my moms death benefits I really wanna go to California for a couple days with my bestfriend and her grandpa am I allowed to do that?
A:
I am going to make an educated guess that your dad kicked you out over some type of dispute concerning your behavior and your dad's house rules. My other educated guess is you moved in with your best friend and although you may have a job that earns you some income you aren't truly supporting yourself which would means being able to rent a place to live entirely on your own, pay for all your food and utilities, buy a car, pay for car insurance, pay for medical insurance, etc. Your situation is typical for teenagers who are transitioning to adulthood and don't quite get along with their parents.
Legally you are still a minor and your dad is still legally responsible for you. If you are living with your best friend and your dad isn't calling the police to bring you back, it is because your dad is consenting to this by not doing anything. As for you going to California there is no law that would stop you, however your friend's grandfather could be charged with custodial interference or kidnapping if your friend's grandfather takes you out of State without your father's permission. You are a minor, so if you just go to California and no one else is involved in you taking the trip there, then no one can be charged with anything although you could be picked up as a minor with parental supervision and shipped back to your father or put in a juvenile detention center until they figure out what to do with you. No one can tell you if these types of problems will or won't happen. But the better course of action is to discuss your travel plans with your dad and get his permission.
Even better, make peace with your dad. Unless there is some problem worse then what I guessed above, like your dad is physically abusing you or he has a substance abuse problem, try to go back home and make things work until you turn 18. Learning how to deal with the problems of your immediate family is as important as dealing with the problems you will face as an adult going forward.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.