Wanting to Be Emancipated in Texas

I have been thinking about getting emancipated for a while but now i know its the best thing to do.

I do not believe that my mom and dad are fit to be parents. For years they have been cheating on one another and i am always being dragged into their drama. My mother has always been emotionaly and mentaly abusive, Even to the point of Making me stand outside her door as she had sex with my friend just to make sure my dad did not walk in. My dad always comes home yelling and breaking things for no reason and i feel as if i would be better off without them.

I am unsure about texas law witch is why i am posting here. I live in Texas and from what alot of people say i can just move out.

I am 17 and wanting to move in with a 24 year old friend of mine. I am wanting to move out and stay with him. I have a job lined up there and i do plan to continue my GED classes while i am there. I turn 18 this year and i was just wondering what i would have to do to get this done or if i even can.


I would be deeply thankful for any help or advice.

:wallbang:

Not even close. Read this.

A whole lot of people are wrong about when it is legal to move out. When you are 18, you can move wherever you like and no one can do anything about it. (Of course, your parents are no longer obligated to contribute one dime to your support, either.) Until your 18th birthday, however, you live where your parents say you live.

In some towns, particularly in the south, the police do not get overly excited about bringing home 17 year olds whose parents want them at home, thus leading a lot of people to believe they are "legal" to move out at 17 (or even 16). However, as another contributor to this forum often says, 17 is not 18 lite. The police can be MADE to do their jobs or the parents can simply bring the delinquent child home themselves. And trust me, the police will be a lot more concerned about bringing home a 17 year old who is living with a 24 year old than they will one who is living with, say, a 19 year old. The age difference is not appropriate.

Since you turn 18 later in the year, your best bet is to wait till then. Once the magic birthday hits, you're completely able to go wherever you like. Until then you do not meet the requirements for emancipation in Texas.

I am not an Attorney, but will tell you a story. a friend of mine and I read this opinion by the attorney general of Texas where he states a 17 yr old CANNOT be returned to their parents when they leave home IF the parents know where they are
http://www.tjpc.state.tx.us/publicat...04/04-1-01.htm

but here is the catch! If the police "feel" for the parent, they suggest to them to say "I do not know where my kid is"
Once they say that, then the police MUST return the 17 yr old to the parents.

This turned into such a mess in Montgomery county that they have an official policy to ignore what the attorney general said and to return the child to the parent ALWAYS

Also in Texas, there are some laws where if the 18 or 19 yr old is still in school, the parents they still cannot leave home! no matter the age.

Wierd but true...