Age of Majority

[Alietha]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
Pennsylvania

Are there reasons for which the age of majority law of a state might not apply? For instance, if the person in question had mental or other handicaps?

 

[cbg]

Yes, there are. But there's no hard and fast list. So why don't you tell us the situation and we can tell you what's up.

 

[Alietha]

OK, so here is what has happened. I am trying to find out if there is a way to file charges against my parents for leaving my brother and myself and moving away (they left us in PA and moved to OK). My main aim here is to prove overall that my parents are unfit; this is only part of the story. Don't know of you are interested in the rest?

 

[CdwJava]

OK, so here is what has happened. I am trying to find out if there is a way to file charges against my parents for leaving my brother and myself and moving away (they left us in PA and moved to OK). My main aim here is to prove overall that my parents are unfit; this is only part of the story. Don't know of you are interested in the rest?

How old are you and your brother?

Were either of you declared incompetent for some reason?

If one of you was declared incompetent, was a conservatorship put in place granting one or both parents control over some aspect of yours or your brother's lives?

 

[Alietha]

Neither of us were declared incompetent. I am just trying to see if this situation would be useful in establishing an overall pattern of behavior, with the aforementioned goal of establishing that my parents are unfit. There are other factors, i.e physical and psychological abuse (of all six of their children), and the fact that they are currently forcing my teenage sister to marry a guy in her thirties. Does my question make more sense now?

 

[cbg]

How. Old. Are. You. And. Your. Brother.

 

[Alietha]

We were 18 and 20

 

[CdwJava]

If you and your brother are adults, welcome to the world. Harsh as it may seem, your parents have no legal obligation to support you any longer.

If you feel your sister is being abused or neglected in some way, notify the authorities. Same as with your siblings. Notify the police or child services in the appropriate jurisdictions where these abuses are allegedly occurring. Be prepared to provide details as to what you know and how you know it.

If you are trying to build a case to sue your parents, speak to an attorney. Most such cases don't go anywhere. But if your motives are to protect underage siblings, then call the authorities.

 

[mistoffolees]

We were 18 and 20

You're adults and Mom and Dad can leave if they wish.

Time to get a job.

 

[cbg]

This is not one of the situations when the limited exceptions would apply. Welcome to adulthood.

 

[latigo]

Yes, there are. But there's no hard and fast list. So why don't you tell us the situation and we can tell you what's up.

Since you seem so knowledgeable on the subject of “age of majority laws”, cbg would you care to enlighten me as to what the dickens they are?

Might be a little difficult to know if and when they apply not knowing what the dash they are.

(Later on maybe you could favor us with a lesson on "age of minority laws".)

 

[cbg]

The poster called them "age of majority laws", not me. But there are situations where, due to physical or mental disabilty, an individual who is past the age of majority may still be under the guardianship of a parent or another.

Surely such a well-educated person as yourself must be aware of that?

 

[justalayman]

I'm missing something here. What is the problem with the term "age of majority laws"? Michigan has this:

Age of Majority Act

Michigan Legislature - Virtual Document Contents

It basically is laws that describe when a person is considered to be an adult.

 

[CdwJava]

It sounds as if the OP is trying to argue that he and/or his brother should be considered dependent adults for some reason.

Absent some form of legal determination as a result of some form of disability, they are adults at 18. It may be a real cruddy thing to up and leave two young adults who are ill prepared for the world to fend for themselves, but it is not - by itself - unlawful.

 

[Betty]

The age of majority is defined by state law so there ARE age of majority laws.