Ocala, FL asked in Contracts, Divorce, Family Law and Domestic Violence for Florida

Q: What should i do if my parents are gonna refuse to sign the emancipation contract?No consequences are faced if i runaway

Im 17 and for the past 5 months ive been receiving verbal and emotional abuse from my mom because im gay thats been messing up my mental and emotional state to the point that sometimes i just wish i wasnt alive and it keeps happening. A few weeks ago my mom jumped on me and choked me so i did call the police however my mom told dcf not to come and tried to tell the police nothing happeed. I dont have a phone or car or anything, she wont even let me play with my little sisters. A week ago she coerced me to sign a contract to stop being gay but i didnt sign it with my signature, i just put random initials and now she is trying to force me to call my gf and break up with her and stop being gay and i asked for a time limit and she told me no and is trying to force it upon me. My coworkers and peers have become very upset by my situation and have told me i should file for emancipation but that requires both parents signature and neither of my parents will sign it and help so seems far away

1 Lawyer Answer

A: Regarding the "contract" you made with your mother, it's not a valid, enforceable contract (even had you signed a proper signature). Minors do not have the legal capacity to enter into contracts, and even if you were an adult, the contract would not be valid for other reasons.

Regarding seeking emancipation relief from the court, a petition must be filed, and you are correct that your parents must sign off on that. There are possibly a couple avenues to seek guidance on the best way to handle this situation. First, because of the oppression and violence that you experiencing in the home, the Fla. Department of Children and Families might be willing to investigate, with one possible end result being your placement into a foster home until you turn 18. Secondly, your local Legal Services office, which aids indigent persons with some types of legal issues, might be able to offer guidance (or they might not due to you being a minor). The Legal Services office in the Ocala area is Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc.

Bruce Alexander Minnick agrees with this answer

1 user found this answer helpful

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