How to End Parents' Custody
My question involves juvenile law in the State of: Indiana
I'm 17 and for over a year I have lived with my friends uncle. Over the past 4 years I've known this person and he's always been like a dad to myself and his nephew. He has got me on the fast track to go to West Point and makes sure I'm taken care of and my needs are taken care of (food/shelter/insurance/etc)
I'm 17 and will not be 18 until August and I'm starting to notice that the private insurance he has for me is wearing on him as the prices are going up. He tries to hide the burden that taking care of two 17 year old boys is causing him, but he doesn't want us to feel like we are burdens because of our family backgrounds.
I started living with him a couple summers ago when my dad and his girl friend were put in jail for a few months and I was taking care of myself. I did not have any food and I had to take care of my dads dogs and we were in a bad situation. My best friend was staying with his uncle and I was going with him there to take showers, eat, and basically to have a home. Over time I just moved in and when my dad and his girl friend got out they just never came back to get me or wanted me with them. I contacted my mom who lives in another state about the situation and she sent a paper to my friends uncle giving him temporary guardianship. He told me it wasn't legal but it allows him to get me enrolled in school and get me insurance so I can have dental, vision, etc from a private insurance company.
It's been over a year and now I'm in need of my Social Security card and my birth certificate and when I contacted my dad to get it he threatened me and told me he was going to kill me if I told anyone he was still claiming me for food stamps. And my mom in the other state never responds.
I want to get a job and I want to enroll in programs my junior year so I can get early college credits, but I cannot because I do not have the proper forms. My friends uncle, who I refer to as Uncle as well, has set me up with West Point recruiters who are encouraging me to take college courses but the fact that I have two dead beat parents who don't want me... is stopping me from progressing with my life.
I asked my uncle if I could get emancipated but he told me he doubts it as we live in Indiana and I cannot support myself. How can I support myself if my parents abandoned me and will not give me any way to get a job or go to college.
Thanks for any help
side note my uncle is calling a lawyer on Monday from a Law Clinic to see if he can get assistance with something to help me out.
Re: It Might Not Be Right but What Can I Do
Quote:
I asked my uncle if I could get emancipated but he told me he doubts it as we live in Indiana and I cannot support myself.
He is correct.
As far as your birth certificate and Social Security card go, you can get copies of those yourself. For your birth certificate, read everything here. You will need identification - your school ID will suffice, according to the website noted.
Once you have your birth certificate, you can get a copy of your Social Security card. Take your BC, school ID, and health insurance card to your local Social Security office. Expect it to take about an hour (and about 55 minutes of that is just waiting!).
Re: How to End Parents' Custody
If you are living with responsible adults, your parents are not going to try to regain custody, and it would be beneficial to you, you can talk to the people you are staying with about petitioning for guardianship. That, of course, could lead to your having to deal with your father's threats.
Re: It Might Not Be Right but What Can I Do
sadly i was born in Illinois and my uncle has called there and the only way I can get anything it seems is if I'm 18 or my parents get it
Re: It Might Not Be Right but What Can I Do
Re: It Might Not Be Right but What Can I Do
Unfortunately, PQN, VitalChek will require him/her to fax identification, so s/he's still going to run up against the age requirement.
OP, if you cannot wait until your 18th birthday to acquire these things, I would suggest you take Mr. K's advice, and see if your uncle will petition for guardianship. While the paper he has right now is sufficient for school enrollment, he needs a court document to help you obtain your identity documents.