Q: Can I get emancipated from a family that's abusive without legal consent from my parents? I'm 16
I've recently ran away from home because my dad has been abusive for years and I have gotten a bunch of support from my friends and my friends got me out of the house. I was in some trouble for another legal thing that I also need answers for. When I ran away I was talking with my local police and my DCFS agents and all that stuff. I even went to a local runaway youth shelter. I was trying to learn what I can and cant do and then after my DCFS counselor came to see if the place I was staying was suitable for my living and then no one has contacted me or the family that I'm living with for almost two or three weeks. I've been out of my house for a little over a month and I've had a lot of legal questions with no way to get them answered.
A:
Utah Legal Services may be able to connect you with a local attorney who could help you pro bono (free). The short answer is "yes, you can be emancipated without your parents consent." You will need to show that you can actually support yourself and not rely on the family you are staying with; a tall order for a 16 year-old, but not impossible.
In order to legally stay with the family you are living with, you would need DCFS to actually agree to placing you with that family. If your parents are not fighting to get you returned home, it is doubtful anyone is going to put much effort into trying to make you go home. Law enforcement, DCFS, and the courts are overworked. If you are not in danger, they may not take any action. Sad, but unfortunately true.
1 user found this answer helpful
A: The quick answer: you are on your way. You usually have to complete your high school education and show that you have provided for yourself and can continue to provide for yourself for at least 6 months before you can be emancipated.
1 user found this answer helpful
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.
