Emancipation/Abortion

[rebecca1]

My question involves emancipation laws for the State of: Arizona
My Step daughter is pregnant at 16 and wants to keep the baby. We are not going to support her and this child? How do we go about having her emmancipated or having her legally leave the house and we not support her. She has no job and says her boyfriend and his mom will help her. I know that the laws requires her to have a job and be able to support herself and she can not do that but we are not allowing her to have a babay at 16. Can we get a legal decision on an abortion?
Please send any information you can to assist with

[LawResearcherMissy]

We are not going to support her and this child?

The law says yes, yes you ARE going to support her until she is 18 years old. Once she's 18, you may pack up her stuff, put it out on the lawn, and lock the doors, but until then, you are legally obligated to support her.

No, you may not "have her emancipated" in order to shirk your legal responsibility to her, and no, you most assuredly may not force her to have an abortion.

[divemedic]

Ahhh- but the question here, and this is one I cannot answer, is what legal responsibility do they have towards the grandchild?

[LawResearcherMissy]

It's my understanding that they have none - and no rights regarding the grandchild, either.

Even so, they are obligated to support their own child. SHE will need to take the responsibility for applying for public assistance for the child until she can find a job and support the child herself.

[CourtClerk]

The law says yes, yes you ARE going to support her until she is 18 years old.

Slight correction. The law does not say the OP has any legal responsibility to support this child and her child. The law says that the OP's HUSBAND has a legal responsibility to support his child. Therefore, the OP can do whatever she chooses regarding the situation. The problem belongs to her husband.

[LawResearcherMissy]

True 'nuff.

[divemedic]

Is that something particular to AZ law? Just curious...

[LawResearcherMissy]

Is which? You're legally and financially responsible for your own kid until the age of 18, or step-parents aren't?

[divemedic]

Sorry, reading comprehension problem. Didn't realize OP was a STEPmom, thought she was bio-mom.