LegalBeagle, You're kidding, right?

[LisaBee]

(Sigh). It figures. Not only am I forced to live with someone who is totally out-of-control, but HE gets to decide when I can get away from him? Somehow I am not surprised. After all this, I either have to wait until he kills me, or wait until I win the lottery so I can afford to send him to one of those 5-thousand-dollars-per-month schools for troubled teens, or wait until he turns 18 and hire a group of large men to drag him out the front door. Isn't that special. By the way, what is your degree/job? I have a variety of undergraduate degrees and a Master's, but nothing even remotely related to law, so pardon my ignorance on such issues. Again, thanks for responding to my messages.

 

[LegalBeagle]

Unfortunately the courts look at it this way, you have somehow raised a child who is a problem. By terminating your rights you are effectively washing your hands of the problem and forcing the state to deal with him, and forcing his possible crime on other innocent people. The courts would rather you suffer than anyone else...

An interesting question that just popped into my mind is what you can do if he causes you actual bodily harm or threatens you. Can you get a restraining order against your own child who lives with you ?