I Want to Be Emancipated at Age 14

I am 13 years old, I'll be 14 soon & I want to get a job when I turn 14 so I can get emancipated when I'm 15. I live in Colorado. Me & my parents dont get a long. There is a fight every night & there is emotional abuse at my dads house & physical abuse at my moms. I don't know where & how to get the petition to be emancipated & I don't know where to start with the emancipation process. When I am emancipated can I live with my grandparents or family or can I stay at my girlfriends house? I just need to be more informed on the regulations & stuff. Also, will I have a good chance of being emancipated?

No. You have no chance whatsoever of being emancipated.

Colorado does not have a statute for the purpose of emancipating minors. A minor who is living ON THEIR OWN (that does not mean with their grandparents or with a girlfriend) AND who is able to show the state that they are self-supporting (that means that YOU are paying all of your own rent, utilities, food, clothing, transportation, medical care, insurance, school fees and supplies, staples, and all the other incidentials of life) while still going to school and getting better than average grades, will VERY occasionally be consided to be emancipated, but there is no process by which you can go into court and come out emancipated in your state. And if there was, based on what you have said you would not qualify.

Emancipation is not and never was intended to be a means for a minor to leave home, no matter how bad their home situation. It was and is intended to be a means of providing legal protections to those minors who, for reasons beyond their own control, found themselves living alone.

All that being said, if you are being abused you need to call CPS. That's what they're for. It is not impossible that if they agree that the situation warrants it, they could remove you from your current situation and place you with your grandparents or another family member, if they are willing to take you.

But emancipation is not going to happen.

Okay well what if I get my own place, with all my own stuff? I've tried contacting CPS and they deny everything and say I just wanted attention. I've asked if I can move in with my grandparents & they say no

Quote:

---

Okay well what if I get my own place, with all my own stuff?

---

NO.

Quote:

---

Colorado does not have an emancipation statute under which minors may petition a court for legal autonomy which would release them from the control and authority of their parents. No independent cause of action exists in Colorado for the emancipation of minors. The issue of emancipation is fact-specific to the situation and applicable law. Issues relating to emancipation may be addressed as part of a separate legal action before the courts such as a dissolution of marriage or child custody case; or directly by the state or local agency providing a service or benefit.

http://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts...Youth/Laws.cfm

---

Even if Colorado had emancipation procedures, you'd still be too young, and it's doubtful you'd be 100% self-sufficient in any case.

Until the authorities get involved and a COURT removes you from your parents' custody, mom and dad have the final word.

If there is unlawful physical abuse (understand that some corporal punishment is perfectly lawful) you can call the police or CPS. Or report it to a teacher or counselor.

This "emotional abuse" stuff is usually a line of hooey. I'd say about 85% of all teenagers feel their parents emotionally abuse them. It's the nature of being a teenager, feeling like you're smarter than the world and deserve to be treated like an adult ... but, lacking the maturity and wisdom to make informed and intelligent adult decisions. I have a house FULL of teenagers, and I am sure that my wife and I are tyrants who emotionally abuse them at every turn. :cool:

And, just HOW are you going to get your own place with all your own stuff unless mom and dad let you move out and support that decision?

Emancipation is not going to occur at your young age, and not likely to happen here at all even in 3 or 4 years. cbg said it quite well.

Without parental permission you cannot "get your own place with all your own stuff". First, you cannot legally move out without parental permission until you are 18. Not 15, not 16, not even 17 - 18. And second, even a 16 or 17 year old would need to have an adult co-signer on any contract before 99.9% of landlords will rent to them. You wouldn't have a prayer of it at 15.

Just for the sake of argument, what kind of a job do you think you can get, how much do you think it will pay, and what is your estimate of what funds you will need to pay all your expenses?

I can work at my aunts pet store & I assume she'll pay me 12 dollars an hour. I have money of my own in my bank account too. I can support myself fine.

I've tried telling CPS and teachers and counselors. None of this is working.

Quote:

---

Quoting regina5311

---

I can work at my aunts pet store & I assume she'll pay me 12 dollars an hour. I have money of my own in my bank account too. I can support myself fine.

I've tried telling CPS and teachers and counselors. None of this is working.

---

And if your parents are okay with you working, great! But, until you are 18 you don't really have much of a choice in that matter.

And if your aunt is willing to pay someone well above minimum wage and probably under the table (thus unable to write off as a business expense) more power to her. That's a heck of a hit to her just to benefit you.

The reasons none of your complaints are working is probably because nothing you have told anyone is sufficient to compel the authorities to seize you and place you into foster care and remove care and custody from your parents.

How much do you think you'll need to pay in rent? Utilities? What do you think your average food bill will be? What about transportation? Medical care? Clothing?

$12 an hour is not going to go as far as you think.

Which is why I have money already saved up.