Peoria, IL asked in Family Law for Illinois

Q: My mom took my ps5 that was gifted to me, I don’t live with her and she isn’t my guardian. Im 17. Is it Legal?

I got gifted a ps5 and my mother took it. I don’t live with her and she isn’t my guardian. She blocked me on everything and wont answer my grandpa or grandma calling despite them being my guardians. The game was gifted to me and when I was living with her I always had a game with no problems. She threatened to break it and I haven’t heard from her since she took it on the 16th. What actions do I take as a 17 year old to get my property back. She lives with my other grandma so the house isn’t hers.

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2 Lawyer Answers

A: You are a minor. Any parent can choose to restrict you from using certain things regardless of where you or they live. When you become 18, if she does not give it back, go to the police.

David Giffin agrees with this answer

A: To add to the other attorney's answer: while you state that your grandparents are your guardians, it's not clear from your statement whether you are just using the term informally - i.e. that they are the people you live with who watch over you. For your mom to lose her rights or have her rights restricted, some other legal action has to take place. This could be something like a guardianship court proceeding which assigns rights to your grandparents, or a juvenile court case or DCFS proceeding where your mother's rights are restricted due to abuse or neglect.

In any case, if you cannot resolve this before you turn 18, you absolutely should speak to law enforcement.

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