Emancipation from Drug Abusing Parents

[kora]

Im 16 and will be 17 in may, i live in Ohio. My cousin said i could get emancipated if i was able to prove my mom is addicted to pills and her boyfriend is a alcoholic. Also she recieves social security because of my dad passing in 2004, so i would be able to support myself off that and a job. This school year i have recieved grades of A's, B's, and C's, i have missed about ten days but there all medical excused. Many people on my family also agree that she is an unfit parent. Could I be emancipated?

[Disagreeable]

No Kora, you are not even close. If you feel you are being neglected or abused, call CSB. The most you could hope for is foster care or relative placement. Being able to take care of yourself means you can pay for all your own food, clothing, shelter and health insurance without any help. You are not entitled to SS survivor benefits to accomplish this.

[aardvarc]

Unless your cousin is a family law attorney, don't take legal advice from them. Your cousin is terribly mis-informed.

Once again, since no one seems to comprehend what emancipation means:

It means that you and you alone can totally support yourself, with money of your own, that YOU earned. If you can't do that, then NOTHING else going on matters. Nothing. No amount of abuse, or neglect, or anything else. Black eyes. Broken bones, Having to do chores. Parents are neglectful crack heads. Nothing. There are OTHER means to deal with those problems - such as social services, police, change in guardianship, or foster care. But without being 100% self supporting there is NO chance for emancipation. Zero. None. Even if. No matter HOW bad a situation might be.

[Dogmatique]

Your cousin has no idea what s/he's talking about.

I'm also not sure why you think, if you were emancipated, that you would be entitled to anything from your father's passing. (Hint: your dependent benefits would stop immediately).

But regardless, the bottom line is that you would not qualify for emancipation in any state.

[cbg]

Your cousin is wrong. In Ohio, no matter what the situation, the ONLY time a minor can be emancipated is if they are legally married or enlisted in the active armed forces (for both of which you would need parental permission).

Also, if you were emancipated, your social security would stop. That is intended for a dependent child, which you would no longer be if you were emancipated.

So no, you could not.