Emancipation Laws in Illinois

[designingmom]

Can you please tell me what the laws of emancipation are in the state of Illinois.

Thanks.
J

[Happy Trails]

Can you please tell me what the laws of emancipation are in the state of Illinois.

Thanks.
J

From Illinois statutes:

CHAPTER 750. FAMILIES 
EMANCIPATION OF MATURE MINORS ACT 

(750 ILCS 30/1) 

Sec. 1. Short title. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the 
Emancipation of Mature Minors Act. 

(750 ILCS 30/2) 

Sec. 2. Purpose and policy. The purpose of this Act is to provide a means by 
which a mature minor who has demonstrated the ability and capacity to 
manage his own affairs and to live wholly or partially independent of his 
parents or guardian, may obtain the legal status of an emancipated person
 with power to enter into valid legal contracts. This Act is not intended to 
interfere with the integrity of the family or the rights of parents and their 
children. No order of complete or partial emancipation may be entered under 
this Act if there is any objection by the minor, his parents or guardian. This
 Act does not limit or exclude any other means either in statute or case law by
 which a minor may become emancipated. 

(750 ILCS 30/3) 

Sec. 3. Definitions. Terms used in this Act, unless the context otherwise
 requires, have the meanings ascribed to them in Sections 3-1 through 3-5. 

(750 ILCS 30/3-1) 

Sec. 3-1. Minor. "Minor" means a person 16 years of age or over, and under
 the age of 18 years, subject to this Act. 

(750 ILCS 30/3-2) 

Sec. 3-2. Mature minor. "Mature minor" means a person 16 years of age or
over and under the age of 18 years who has demonstrated the ability and
capacity to manage his own affairs and to live wholly or partially independent
 of his parents or guardian. 

(750 ILCS 30/3-3) 

Sec. 3-3. Parents. "Parent" means the father or mother of a legitimate or 
illegitimate child, and includes any adoptive parent. It does not include a
 parent whose rights in respect to the minor have been terminated in any
 manner provided by law. 

(750 ILCS 30/3-4) 

Sec. 3-4. Guardian. "Guardian" means any person, association or agency 
appointed guardian of the person of the minor under the Juvenile Court Act,
 the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, the "Probate Act of 1975", or any other 
statute or court order. 

(750 ILCS 30/3-5) 

Sec. 3-5. Petition. "Petition" means the petition provided for in Section 7 of
 this Act, or any other petition filed under the Juvenile Court Act or the 
Juvenile Court Act of 1987, seeking the emancipation of a minor in 
accordance with the provisions of this Act. 

(750 ILCS 30/4) 

Sec. 4. Jurisdiction. The circuit court in the county where the minor resides,
 is found, owns property, or in which a court action affecting the interests of
 the minor is pending, may, upon the filing of a petition on behalf of the minor
 by his next friend, parent or guardian and after a hearing on notice to all
 persons as set forth in Sections 7 and 8 of this Act, enter a finding that the
 minor is a mature minor as defined in this Act and order complete or partial 
emancipation of the minor. The court in its order for partial emancipation may
 specifically limit the rights and responsibilities of the minor seeking
 emancipation. 

(750 ILCS 30/5) 

Sec. 5. Rights and responsibilities of an emancipated minor. (a) A mature minor
 ordered emancipated under this Act shall have the right to enter into valid 
legal contracts, and shall have such other rights and responsibilities as the
 court may order that are no inconsistent with the specific age requirements of
 the State or federal constitution or any State or federal law; (b) A mature
 minor who is partially emancipated under this Act shall have only those rights
and responsibilities specified in the order of the court. 

(750 ILCS 30/6) 

Sec. 6. Duration of emancipation and discharge of proceedings. The court shall
 retain continuing jurisdiction over the proceedings until the emancipated minor
 reaches age 18, and may modify or terminate its previous emancipation orders.
 However, any subsequent modification or termination of a previous order shall
 be effective only prospectively and shall not affect any rights, duties,
 obligations or causes of action existing prior to the modification or 
termination of any order under this Act. 

(750 ILCS 30/7) 

Sec. 7. Petition. The petition for emancipation shall be verified and shall set
 forth: (1) the age of the minor; (2) that the minor is a resident of Illinois 
at the time of the filing of the petition, or owns real estate in Illinois, 
or has an interest or is a party in any case pending in Illinois; (3) the 
cause for which the minor seeks to obtain partial or complete emancipation; 
(4) the names of the minor's parents, and the address, if living; (5) the 
names and addresses of any guardians or custodians appointed for the minor;
 (6) that the minor is a mature minor who has demonstrated the ability and
capacity to manage his own affairs; and (7) that the minor has lived wholly
 or partially independent of his parents or guardian. 

(750 ILCS 30/8) 

Sec. 8. Notice. All persons named in the petition shall be given written
 notice 21 days prior to the hearing and shall have a right to be present and
 be represented by counsel. All notices shall be served on persons named in
 the petition by personal service or by "certified mail, return receipt 
requested, addressee only". If personal service cannot be made in 
accordance with the provisions of this Act, substitute service or service
 by publication shall be made in accordance with the Civil Practice Law. 

(750 ILCS 30/9) 

Sec. 9. Hearing. Before proceeding to a hearing on the petition the court
 shall advise all persons present of the nature of the proceedings, and their
 rights and responsibilities if an order of emancipation should be entered. If,
 after the hearing, the court determines that the minor is a mature minor 
who is of sound mind and has the capacity and maturity to manage his own
 affairs including his finances, and that the best interests of the minor and
 his family will be promoted by declaring the minor an emancipated minor, the
 court shall enter a finding that the minor is an emancipated minor within the
 meaning of this Act, or that the mature minor is partially emancipated with
 such limitations as the court by order deems appropriate. No order of 
complete or partial emancipation may be entered under this Act if there is
 any objection by the minor, his parents or guardian. 

(750 ILCS 30/10) 

Sec. 10. Joinder, Juvenile Court Proceedings. The petition for declaration of
 emancipation may, with leave of the court, be joined with any pending 
litigation affecting the interests of the minor including a petition filed 
under the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. If any
 minor seeking emancipation is a ward of the court under the Juvenile
 Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 at the time of the filing of the
 petition for emancipation, the petition shall be set for hearing in the 
juvenile court. 

(750 ILCS 30/11) 

Sec. 11. Appeal. Any judgment or order allowing or denying a complete or 
partial emancipation is a final order for purposes of appeal. 

[aaron]

You can see the Illinois emancipation laws here. You must be at least sixteen to bring an emancipation petition in Illinois. Among the other facts you must establish to emancipate, you must show to the court's satisfaction that you are "a mature minor who has demonstrated the ability and capacity to manage his own affairs or (ii) a homeless minor who is located in this State; and [that you have] lived wholly or partially independent of his parents or guardian."

[designingmom]

Thank you Happy Trails!

[designingmom]

Thanks Aaron!

[brooklyn]

I need information and help with my 15 year old daughter. We just moved here about 6 months ago and she has run wild. She is trying to get pregnant to move out when she turns 16 in a couple of months. She is dating a 23 yr. old after we thought they have gone separate ways. He's a nice guy but not on the 23 yr. old age level and his family is convicted of sex crimes. She says she hates living with us and can do much better on her own. She works 20 hours and wants to drop out at 16 to go to full time work.
Please help.
B

[Baystategirl]

I need information and help with my 15 year old daughter. We just moved here about 6 months ago and she has run wild. She is trying to get pregnant to move out when she turns 16 in a couple of months. She is dating a 23 yr. old after we thought they have gone separate ways. He's a nice guy but not on the 23 yr. old age level and his family is convicted of sex crimes. She says she hates living with us and can do much better on her own. She works 20 hours and wants to drop out at 16 to go to full time work.
Please help.
B

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