LegalBeagle

Thanks for your response. Why, you ask? Because he makes my life a living hell. Because he destroys everything he ever gets, because he refuses to get along with others, in or out of the family, because he refuses to accept responsibility for anything he does, because he refuses to get an education or do any work, because he wants to be the A #1 decision maker for himself and everyone around him 100% of the time, because he throws raging fits and screams about how much he hates me and wants to move out, because he is violent toward me, because he runs away, because he steals, and because I have tried everything I can to help him and the police won't even arrest him because he hasn't committed a serious crime against others yet and I'm sick of having to live with it. I've gone broke trying to help him and I've had enough. So, do you have any actual answers to the questions I asked?

[LegalBeagle]

I think you need to take a deep breath after all that...

Not good news really.. unless he decides that he wants nothing to do with you and promptly walks out and refused any further contact or support from you, then your options are limited. In this case you can petition a court for the child to be emancipated.

Since he is unlikely to get married, join the navy or get a full time job, I believe that is your only option.. and it is not really an option as it is up to him to leave and refuse all further need for you.

But, and there is always a but.. the above is a minority position as most courts have held that a child's hostile conduct toward a parent should not relieve that parent of the duty of support..



[This message has been edited by LegalBeagle (edited August 22, 2000).]