Rhode Island Emancipation Law

[aaron]

How can a minor get emancipated in Rhode Island?

[aaron]

According to the Rhode Island Office of the Child Advocate,

What Is An Emancipated Youth?

Emancipation means that you are free from the custody and control of your parents and the state before your eighteenth birthday. There is no emancipation statute (law by legislation) in Rhode Island, however, a Family Court judge may declare in a court order that you are capable (mature enough) of emancipated status. This means that you will be treated as an adult in certain ways, such as you no longer need parental consent (permission) to get medical care, enter binding contracts, move to a new residence, apply for a work permit, enroll in a school, or get a driver's license.

If I become emancipated, is there anything I legally cannot do?

Yes. There are legal restrictions despite your obtaining a legal declaration of emancipated status before your eighteenth (18th) birthday, such as not being allowed to purchase or drink alcohol, and not being allowed to serve on a jury, both of which require that you be twenty-one (21) years of age.