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Legal rights of a teenager

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zookeeper8

Junior Member
My son's best friend is 15 and having a tough time at home. There is no physical abuse but there is what certainly seems to be emotional abuse. He is a good kid, an honor roll student and well behaved, who doesn't deserve what he's getting at home.

I see him becoming increasingly desperate and I'm concerned that he'll run away to Ohio to be with his mother (whom he does not know but just found online) or that he'll want to come stay with us. I would let him live with us if his father would consent but that is highly unlikely (as he and his brother are responsible for the majority of the work around the home). He has no other relatives in the area. He has grandparents in Ohio who raised him until a few years ago, but he wants to stay at his current school.

I cannot find any information about the laws concerning runaways or teen emancipation. Any information would be appreciated. I want to help this young man but I don't know how. What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania
 


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seniorjudge

Senior Member
I want to help this young man but I don't know how.

Tell him to tough it out till he's 18 and then he can get a full-time job and support himself 100%.
 
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zookeeper8

Junior Member
seniorjudge said:
Tell him to tough it out till he's 18 and then he can get a full-time job and support himself 100%.
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If that were the best option I wouldn't be wasting my time posting on a forum. I was actually looking for legal advice here at the Legal Advice Forum (oddly), not opinions.
 
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seniorjudge

Senior Member
zookeeper8 said:
...

I cannot find any information about the laws concerning runaways or teen emancipation. Any information would be appreciated. I want to help this young man but I don't know how.

...
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Here's some legal advice:

Tell him to tough it out till he's 18 and then he can get a full-time job and support himself 100%.
 
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outonbail

Senior Member
zookeeper8 said:
My son's best friend is 15 and having a tough time at home. There is no physical abuse but there is what certainly seems to be emotional abuse. He is a good kid, an honor roll student and well behaved, who doesn't deserve what he's getting at home.

I see him becoming increasingly desperate and I'm concerned that he'll run away to Ohio to be with his mother (whom he does not know but just found online) or that he'll want to come stay with us. I would let him live with us if his father would consent but that is highly unlikely (as he and his brother are responsible for the majority of the work around the home). He has no other relatives in the area. He has grandparents in Ohio who raised him until a few years ago, but he wants to stay at his current school.

I cannot find any information about the laws concerning runaways or teen emancipation. Any information would be appreciated. I want to help this young man but I don't know how. What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania
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The only help you can legally offer is to mind your own business and stop judging how other parents raise their children.

If he hasn't been physically abused and he's a well behaved honor roll student I'd say his parent(s) are doing a decent job at raising him.

Putting yourself in the middle of a situation you have no right to involve yourself in, will accomplish no good while creating plenty of trouble for yourself.

There is no shortage of teen aged children who don't like what their parents require from them, I can assure you. Since I'm guessing you have only been privy to one side of the story, I think you should understand how there is more to this teens home life than whatever you have been led to believe it is that he doesn't deserve.

Try placing yourself in the shoes of the other parent. How would you react if you discovered that one of your neighbors was looking for a way to get your child away from your home, because they felt you weren't raising your child properly?

Bottom line, you stand absolutely no chance of removing this 15 year old child from his parent's home and the child stands even less of a chance at being emancipated at 15 years old.
 
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zookeeper8

Junior Member
outonbail said:
The only help you can legally offer is to mind your own business and stop judging how other parents raise their children.

If he hasn't been physically abused and he's a well behaved honor roll student I'd say his parent(s) are doing a decent job at raising him.

Putting yourself in the middle of a situation you have no right to involve yourself in, will accomplish no good while creating plenty of trouble for yourself.

There is no shortage of teen aged children who don't like what their parents require from them, I can assure you. Since I'm guessing you have only been privy to one side of the story, I think you should understand how there is more to this teens home life than whatever you have been led to believe it is that he doesn't deserve.

Try placing yourself in the shoes of the other parent. How would you react if you discovered that one of your neighbors was looking for a way to get your child away from your home, because they felt you weren't raising your child properly?

Bottom line, you stand absolutely no chance of removing this 15 year old child from his parent's home and the child stands even less of a chance at being emancipated at 15 years old.
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Unbelievable...
Actually I HAVE seen the other side of the story.
I'm not trying to wrestle him away from his parents.
If I were verbally, mentally and emotionally abusing my child then a concerned neighbor would be WELL within their rights to do something about it!
This child has only lived with the father and the new step mom for 4 years. They are not the reason he's a good kid, they're the reason that he's depressed and wants to run away. They have already tried to kick his disabled 16 year old brother out of the house.
This child has no support from anyone and I'll be dammed if I'm going to turn a blind eye when asked for help.
 
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outonbail

Senior Member
You asked for legal advice, not moral support for you own personal mission.

If the child is being abused, there are government agencies that are in place to deal with that situation. They have the legal means to investigate the situation and to take whatever action they determine the situation may call for.

If you know the child is being abused, contact child protective services or whatever name they go by in your state and let them take care of the situation.
You have no legal foundation to stand on when it comes to involving yourself in this child's family life. His asking you for help will not keep you out of the legal troubles you can find yourself in by trying to remove this child from his home.

Now go out and raise hell, just remember the law is not in your corner on this one,,,,,
 
CdwJava

CdwJava

Senior Member
zookeeper8 said:
Unbelievable...
Actually I HAVE seen the other side of the story.
I'm not trying to wrestle him away from his parents.
If I were verbally, mentally and emotionally abusing my child then a concerned neighbor would be WELL within their rights to do something about it!
This child has only lived with the father and the new step mom for 4 years. They are not the reason he's a good kid, they're the reason that he's depressed and wants to run away. They have already tried to kick his disabled 16 year old brother out of the house.
This child has no support from anyone and I'll be dammed if I'm going to turn a blind eye when asked for help.
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If he is being abused or neglected, call the police or child services. If you harbor a runaway or aid him in fleeing from home, you open yourself up to prosecution. You have no legal standing to take him in and only lay yourself wide open to prosecution if he comes to you and you keep him from his dad.

The only action you can legally take is to call the authorities. Anything else might land you in jail.

- Carl
 
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