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I Am 14, Can I Be Emancipated

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  • 03-04-2012, 06:38 PM
    fishgonebad
    I Am 14, Can I Be Emancipated
    My question involves juvenile law in the State of: Maine

    Hi I am 14, I have suffered abuse from ages roughly 6-14, I am suffering from constant degrading, blockage from social life. If I were to be emancipated I would have a place to stay, Access to school daily, Food, Necessity's, A way to make money (not too much), basic needs. Am I allowed to be emancipated? If not now, how, when, why, etc. I need to know requirements etc. Please do not respond with "Well its part of growing up" or anything personal, please give my answers strictly. Thank you for your time.
  • 03-04-2012, 06:40 PM
    Dogmatique
    Re: I Am 14, Can I Be Emancipated (Please Read)
    No, you will not be emancipated.

    If you are being abused, contact child services and/or call 911 if it's an emergency.
  • 03-04-2012, 06:44 PM
    fishgonebad
    Re: I Am 14, Can I Be Emancipated (Please Read)
    I didnt ask if I am, I asked can I, how, why, when. =/
  • 03-04-2012, 06:48 PM
    cdwjava
    Re: I Am 14, Can I Be Emancipated (Please Read)
    You are too young to petition for emancipation. You are unable to provide for yourself at this time, and even at 16 it is unlikely that this will be the case. Very, very few kids who petition for emancipation receive it.

    If you are being abused, call the police or child services.

    Here is some summary info and links:

    http://www.kidslegalaid.org/kids/on_...ancipation.htm

    Quote:

    Quoting fishgonebad
    View Post
    I didnt ask if I am, I asked can I, how, why, when. =/

    The answer is, "No. You cannot."
  • 03-04-2012, 06:51 PM
    LawResearcherMissy
    Re: I Am 14, Can I Be Emancipated (Please Read)
    What part of NO was beyond your comprehension?

    1) You're 14
    2) You're not 100% self-supporting
    3) Emancipation is for those minors who already find themselves in the extraordinary circumstance of needing the ability to enter into contracts because they are named Miley Cyrus, or their parents have died in a plane crash and they're taking care of themselves and younger siblings.
    4) You've got a smart mouth, and that will get you nowhere.

    If you're being abused, call CPS. Emancipation is not an option.
  • 03-04-2012, 07:05 PM
    cbg
    Re: I Am 14, Can I Be Emancipated (Please Read)
    There is only one state that will even consider emancipating a 14 year old, and that state is not Maine.

    You can be emancipated when ALL of the following are true:

    1.) You are at least 16 years old.
    2.) You have a place to stay that is independent of your parents
    3.) You have the ability to provide for yourself not only your rent and utilities, but also your food, clothing, medical care and other necessities, while still completing your education, and can show the judge your plan for how to accomplish all these things. Please note that "I'm going to get a job" will get your petition denied forthwith. The judge will be looking for "I am employed by ABC doing X; I earn xxx.xx per week of which xx.xx goes to rent, xx.xx to food..." etc. You will need to show paystubs, rent receipts and other proofs of your ability to support yourself.
    4.) You are able to prove to the satisfaction of the judge that you are sufficiently mature to be on your own and that it is in your best interests to do so. You'd better be quite convincing because the judge will be looking for reasons to deny the petition and will not hesitate to do so given the slightest excuse. Very, very few petitions are approved.

    Please also note that supporting yourself does not mean living with a friend or family member who will support you. While the law in ME does not prohibit you from living with someone else, you will still have to show that you will be able to support yourself without being a burden on the taxpayers if your friend or family member kicks you out, or is hit by a bus, or is transferred to New Zealand and cannot/will not take you with them. Final note; at the slightest hint that you are looking to live with a boyfriend (if female) or girlfriend (if male) and your petition will be denied so fast the gavel will smoke.

    Emancipation is not and never was considered to be a means for a teenager to leave home. It was and is intended to be a means of providing legal protections to those minors who are left on their own through no fault of their own.

    So take your smart mouth and close it, please. At the very best scenario you're going to be exactly where you are for a minimum of two more years, and considering how rare emancipation is, probably a great deal longer than that. Degradation and "blockage from social life" is NOT considered abuse.
  • 03-04-2012, 07:09 PM
    Dogmatique
    Re: I Am 14, Can I Be Emancipated (Please Read)
    (out of sheer curiosity, I'm wondering what kind of social life a 14 year old is entitled to)
  • 03-04-2012, 10:32 PM
    aardvarc
    Re: I Am 14, Can I Be Emancipated (Please Read)
    Answer: whatever social life the parents determine to be appropriate.

    Even at 16, in order to earn enough to pay for independent living, AND attend school, a teenager who is not an international celebrity would have to spend almost every waking moment at their job to make ends meet. What kind of social life does THAT leave room for?

    Answer: None
  • 03-04-2012, 10:33 PM
    cdwjava
    Re: I Am 14, Can I Be Emancipated (Please Read)
    Which is usually far more restrictive than what the 14-year-old thinks is "fair."
  • 03-04-2012, 10:33 PM
    Dogmatique
    Re: I Am 14, Can I Be Emancipated (Please Read)
    Quote:

    Quoting aardvarc
    View Post
    Answer: whatever social life the parents determine to be appropriate.

    That is my FAVOURITE answer. :)

    ...and I hadn't yet read Carl's answer.

    I like BOTH answers perfickly.
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