Interstate Travel By a Runaway

[lala.james16]

My question involves juvenile law in the State of: North Carolina

I'm 17 (I'll be 18 next January) and I'm contemplating leaving home.I live in North Carolina.I stay with my dad and stepmom, he has custody of me.I used to live in South Carolina with my mom (where the majority of my family is) but she lost custody of me due to physical abuse.Occasionally (usually every other month) I go visit my family in SC under my grandmother's supervision for the weekend.I have always wanted to return to South Carolina to live with my family and I've never wanted to go more than I do now.My stepmom makes me feel unwanted and unwelcome here and I don't feel my dad is here to stand up for me at all.It makes me feel uncomfortable and unhappy about the environment that I'm living in.I want to leave, I was going to run away today but arrangements couldn't be made for my grandmother to come pick me up.Everything is basically set in place and ready for tomorrow now.My dad does not know I have plans to leave and it's gonna be a total surprise when he shows up and realize I'm not home.I'm just concerned about laws in the state of NC & SC about runaways and what would the consequences be of me leaving? Will there be any consequences? I am 17 and I feel I can make my own decisions.My grandmother and I had even planned to speak with a judge once we had gotten back to SC tomorrow afternoon.Would there be any way I could fight to stay there with her and not return back to NC? Especially for the reasons I stated above? Please, any advice, help or answers would be great.Thanks in advance

[flyingron]

No. You will be considered a runaway and if your grandmother would be irresponsible to harbor you, she would be committing a crime.
Sorry your life sucks, but you need to wait until you're 18 before you strike out in opposition to your custodial parent.

[lala.james16]

@Flyingron, is there any way I may be able to stay there though even though it's considered 'running away'? Suppose even if I speak to a judge?

[flyingron]

If you do not return home when your parent says to, it's running away.
A judge will not order to the contrary unless there are signs of abuse. Just because you're feeling "unwanted and unwelcome" is NOT abuse.
Your only avenue is to see (perhaps with the assistance of grandmother) to get consent.

[lala.james16]

OKay. Thanks so much for your answers! This lets me know a lot! Although it's tough I might as well just wait out the 9 months until I turn 18. That's better than risking seeing my family and freedom while living with my dad. Because chances are I WILL have to return home right?

[LawResearcherMissy]

Because chances are I WILL have to return home right?

Yep. The authorities will drag you home by the ear in the best case scenario, toss you into juvi first in the worst case.

[lala.james16]

What if I threatened to hurt myself or continue running away when I was ordered to return home? Would the judge and courts even consider this?

[free9man]

Option A could land you in a psychiatric facility for an indeterminate period of time...not fun.
Option B could land you in a juvenile facility for an indeterminate period of time...not fun either.