ExpertLaw.com Forums

Running Away a Week Before Your 18th Birthday

Printable View

  • 07-13-2015, 10:44 PM
    masonjar
    Running Away a Week Before Your 18th Birthday
    My family resides in Texas, I go to a trade school in MA, and I want to leave to stay with a friend in FL. I have a flight home at the beginning of August, and I turn 18 a week later. My plan is to not fly home to TX, and to instead fly to FL. However, my parents want me to attend the school again next year which is problematic because they pay for my housing. My lease ends soon so we have to renew it, but I don't want to be locked into a lease if I leave to go to Florida. If I fly home to TX, all of my belongings would still be in my apartment in MA, which prevents me from being able to sell/pack them to go to FL because my mom booked a flight for me to return in September to MA, and by then I'd be locked into a contract. So to sum this up, what are the laws involving me "running away" at 17 a week before my 18th birthday involving the states of TX, MA, and FL. I am going to tell my parents that I am not coming home, as to not have them think I've gone missing and not to worry them too much. I still love them and want to have their presence in my life, however I hate the trade school and it's not what I want to do with my life. My parents will not be understanding of me wanting to leave because I've been practicing this trade all my life. I don't want my parents wasting their money on me because I have younger siblings that they need to save up college funds for. However, even if I was in contact with my parents they would not give me permission to leave, and I know my parents would call the police to report me as a runaway. I love my parents and appreciate the opportunities they provided me, but I am ready to live my life the way I see fit. How much action would the police take because I would be turning 18 soon? Would they come after me?
  • 07-14-2015, 01:44 AM
    llworking
    Re: Leaving a Week Before 18th Birthday
    Quote:

    Quoting masonjar
    View Post
    My family resides in Texas, I go to a trade school in MA, and I want to leave to stay with a friend in FL. I have a flight home at the beginning of August, and I turn 18 a week later. My plan is to not fly home to TX, and to instead fly to FL. However, my parents want me to attend the school again next year which is problematic because they pay for my housing. My lease ends soon so we have to renew it, but I don't want to be locked into a lease if I leave to go to Florida. If I fly home to TX, all of my belongings would still be in my apartment in MA, which prevents me from being able to sell/pack them to go to FL because my mom booked a flight for me to return in September to MA, and by then I'd be locked into a contract. So to sum this up, what are the laws involving me "running away" at 17 a week before my 18th birthday involving the states of TX, MA, and FL. I am going to tell my parents that I am not coming home, as to not have them think I've gone missing and not to worry them too much. I still love them and want to have their presence in my life, however I hate the trade school and it's not what I want to do with my life. My parents will not be understanding of me wanting to leave because I've been practicing this trade all my life. I don't want my parents wasting their money on me because I have younger siblings that they need to save up college funds for. However, even if I was in contact with my parents they would not give me permission to leave, and I know my parents would call the police to report me as a runaway. I love my parents and appreciate the opportunities they provided me, but I am ready to live my life the way I see fit. How much action would the police take because I would be turning 18 soon? Would they come after me?

    Do you have any idea how foolish you are being? The wise move is to go back and finish the trade school as that will give you something to fall back on as far as making a living is concerned, even if that is not what you eventually want to do.
  • 07-14-2015, 06:42 AM
    cbg
    Re: Leaving a Week Before 18th Birthday
    In all three states the age of majority is 18, not a week before you turn 18. I can't guess how much effort law enforcement, or your parents, will put into finding you that close to your majority, but that will be a matter of choice, not law. LEGALLY as long as you are even one minute under 18, your parents have the right to drag your ass back home.

    You might also want to consider that effective your 18th birthday, your parents' legal obligation to support you ends. They have no obligation, from that date forward, to pay for your housing or anything else. They can, quite legally, cut you off without a dime and let you fend for yourself.

    So before you make the exceedingly foolish decision to cut yourself off from everyone and everything, you might want to consider being the mature adult you apparently think you are and discuss things with your parents. Have you told them you don't like this trade? What do you want to do instead? Do you have a plan for how to accomplish it? Most parents only want their children to be happy, so you might find they're more understanding than you think.
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:08 AM.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.4
Copyright © 2023 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2004 - 2018 ExpertLaw.com, All Rights Reserved