16 want to move out

[ajwuzhere]

What is the name of your state (new jersey)

hello, im 16 years old, and i want to move out of my father's house. he has legal custody of me, but has been telling me for years that i'm a problem. last summer i moved out for 3 months to live with my aunt and uncle. i moved back and now, almost a year later, its coming to boiling point again. throwing things, yelling, constant arguing and im tired of it. i have a place i can live until im 18, id be paying rent, id have my own room, food, school,and a job. is it legal for me to just leave?

 

[sandyclaus]

What is the name of your state (new jersey)

hello, im 16 years old, and i want to move out of my father's house. he has legal custody of me, but has been telling me for years that i'm a problem. last summer i moved out for 3 months to live with my aunt and uncle. i moved back and now, almost a year later, its coming to boiling point again. throwing things, yelling, constant arguing and im tired of it. i have a place i can live until im 18, id be paying rent, id have my own room, food, school,and a job. is it legal for me to just leave?

No, it's not.

Your father has legal custody over you. You are obligated to do as he says, whether or not you like it, because you are a minor under his control. If he doesn't want you to move back in with your aunt and uncle, what he says goes - and there isn't a thing you can legally do about it.

New Jersey also has no formal emancipation law, but you could certainly apply for it if you choose. Understand that in order to qualify for emancipation, at a minimum, you'll have to prove that you can already live independently, and are self-sufficient. That means you'd have to already have a job that provides sufficient income to provide for ALL of your living expenses - including food and shelter. That means not living with other family members who will provide those things for you, but proving that you can do it ALL on your own. You don't have that now, so it would be a waste to even try.

I would suggest that you figure out some way to get along with your dad. Look into counseling, perhaps through your school or other community resources. Either that, or discuss the possibility with your dad of going back to live with your aunt and uncle with his approval and blessing.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Ahhh summertime, when all the supposedly abused children have free time and internet access, believe they can care for themselves, yet cannot even learn how to research or grasp basic concepts.

 

[cbg]

You can legally move out on the earlier of these two dates:

1.) The date your father gives you permission to move out
2.) Your 18th birthday