leave at 17....

What is the name of your state?Texas
I am 17 years old right now. For about the last year and half I have been emotionally abused by my mother and it has made it very hard for me to focus on things that are important to me such as school and work. I know that at 17 you can leave and not be considered a runaway but instead a missing person. I know that the only way I could really be forced home if I did leave and was found would be by court order. I would end up going and staying with my best friend and he is 19. So my question is other then a court order is there any other way that I could be forced home if I didn't want to and also legally is there anything that could be done against my friend?

lcd488 said:

What is the name of your state?Texas
I am 17 years old right now. For about the last year and half I have been emotionally abused by my mother and it has made it very hard for me to focus on things that are important to me such as school and work. I know that at 17 you can leave and not be considered a runaway but instead a missing person. I know that the only way I could really be forced home if I did leave and was found would be by court order. I would end up going and staying with my best friend and he is 19. So my question is other then a court order is there any other way that I could be forced home if I didn't want to and also legally is there anything that could be done against my friend?

Click to expand...

Well since your friend is 19 and your 17 a minor if anything sexually happened between you before you turn 18, then they maybe able to go after him.
How long until you turn 18. Then there shouldn't be a problem.

i'll be 18 in 6 months but isn't there also some law about less than a 2 year difference. There's nothing sexual going so shouldn't it be ok?

Have you graduated?

Do you plan on attending college?

Where did you get the information that they would need a court order to make you go back home?

Also don't want to assume anything, but are you a girl?

***Your friend could get into trouble for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

I hope what you say is true that there is nothing sexual going on. Because if things are hard enough for you to focus on now, adding that into the mix doesn't help. (But often being sexual active usually triggers the "almost adult" to want to leave home for the boyfriend.)

First off I am a girl. I am graduating in 5 months. I do plan on going to college. I got the information by reading up on some of the texas laws and the only real clear thing I found as to being forced back home would be by court order. I will say it again I guess that there is nothing sexual between us. The guy is my best friend and has been for many years.

To be truthful I wasn't try to get you mad.

lcd488 said:

First off I am a girl. I am graduating in 5 months. I do plan on going to college. I got the information by reading up on some of the texas laws and the only real clear thing I found as to being forced back home would be by court order. I will say it again I guess that there is nothing sexual between us. The guy is my best friend and has been for many years.

Click to expand...

I thought I'd ask if you were a girl because the law addresses the other issue differently.

The reason I asked about schooling is there are some issues that seniors who want to 'up and leave' home don't know about.

Many students who want to attend college need some sort of financial aid. I don't know if you are looking into that yet or even need it. (But it goes by your parents income and you need them to fill parts of it out.)

Since you are a senior, usually the school has informed you of certain steps that the seniors need to take (like filling out the FAFSA, applying for scholarships, student loans, etc...) I won't address that issue any further since I do not know your situation entirely.

Then there is also the need for health care. Just wanted to throw that out there for you to consider. If you are currently covered under your parents health plan, as long as you are a full-time student, usually you still will be under that plan.

As far as you moving in with your friend, your mother could press charges on him.

Happy Trails said:

I thought I'd ask if you were a girl because the law addresses the other issue differently.

The reason I asked about schooling is there are some issues that seniors who want to 'up and leave' home don't know about.

Many students who want to attend college need some sort of financial aid. I don't know if you are looking into that yet or even need it. (But it goes by your parents income and you need them to fill parts of it out.)

Since you are a senior, usually the school has informed you of certain steps that the seniors need to take (like filling out the FAFSA, applying for scholarships, student loans, etc...) I won't address that issue any further since I do not know your situation entirely.

Then there is also the need for health care. Just wanted to throw that out there for you to consider. If you are currently covered under your parents health plan, as long as you are a full-time student, usually you still will be under that plan.

As far as you moving in with your friend, your mother could press charges on him.

Click to expand...

Sorry I didn't mean for you to think that I was mad at you. Does anyone think that it would maybe just be better and easier for me to file for emancipation?

lcd488 said:

Sorry I didn't mean for you to think that I was mad at you. Does anyone think that it would maybe just be better and easier for me to file for emancipation?

Click to expand...

I wasn't certain you were mad or not, just didn't want you to think I was trying to flame you.

Here's a link but emancipation has some strict guidelines. You also need to consider the previous post about financial aid and health care. There have been minors who have achieved emancipation to find out that the parents would not fill out the FAFSA. (No money!)

http://www.bostoncoop.net/lcd/emancipation/texas.html

This usually is one of the big hurdles: "(3) self-supporting and managing the minor's own financial affairs."

Well I have a job right now and they offer health care so I'm ok on the financial part of things. For college I've also got a scholorship so I don't know if that helps my situation any.