I am sixteen and will soon be emancipated. When I become emancipated can I sue my sister/adoptive mother for damages to my school text books and my belongings being thrown around the room and damaged as well as borrowed money from before I was emancipated?

I am sixteen and will soon be emancipated. When i become emancipated can i sue my sister/adoptive mother for damages to my school text books and my belongings being thrown around the room and damaged as well as borrowed money from before I was emancipated?
How you plan on paying for the Lawyers fees... for a case you are sure to lose? YOu think you are going to be emancipated... you realize that means you will HAVE to be self supporting... and how many 16 year olds can make enough to pay rent... food, utilities... AND a Lawyer at $150+ an hour?

You aren't getting money back if you don't have signed loan papers... before you were emancipated it was THEIR stuff they were letting you use while in THEIR house.

I think you have a lot of growing up to do yet... and even more learning about real life. Running around with a chip on your shoulder like that makes you a HUGE target of people that get off by knocking those chips off. And there are a LOT of them.

How you plan on paying for the Lawyers fees....for a case you are sure to lose? YOu think you are going to be emancipated....you realize that means you will HAVE to be self supporting...and how many 16 year olds can make enough to pay rent...food, utilities....AND a Lawyer at $150+ an hour?

With a job, probono lawyer you actually know, social security benefits etc. Got a real answer for me?

Where will you live? Transportation? Education? Full-time job? SS benefits because of what?

Where will you live? transportation? education? full-time job? SS benefits because of what?

Renting a room in exchange for house work, provides transportation to school and work food shelter water and electricity, full time job (fast food but still), full time student, and SS benefits for my deceased mother.

With a job, probono lawyer you actually know, social security benifits etc. Got a real answer for me?

How many real answers do you want? A sixteen year old getting a job for minimum wage would be interesting and even a cheap lawyer wouldn't touch your case.

How many real answers do you want? A sixteen year old getting a job for minimum wage would be interesting and even a cheap lawyer wouldn't touch your case.

Probono lawyer. I know one my question is can I sue her for damaged property and borrowed money.

What total $$ are you thinking this will be?

That I will sue for, 3 textbooks ranging from 50-85 dollars, 100 dollars of borrowed money. $350 approximately.

That i will sue for, 3 textbooks ranging from 50-85 dollars, 100 dollars of borrowed money. $350 approximately.

Big money ! Small claims court.

Wait what?

Did you pay out of your own pocket for the textbooks? All my texts in high school were supplied by the school and collected at the end of each class (for redistribution to a later class).

They are school textbooks I now have to pay for because they are damaged, so not yet but yes I will have to pay out of pocket for them.

Why do you have to pay?

Because they are damaged and I will soon be emancipated and my legal guardian does not support me even though legally she still has to.

The school will demand restitution from your adoptive mother (no father?) since you are a minor. So let that happen.

I have been living on my own on and off for about a year. The school doesn't deal with my adoptive mother anymore they know it's a lost cause and my adoptive father will not take any responsibility for me because he is my brother in law as well as my adoptive dad and he never really wanted to be my parent but wanted to be my brother if that makes sense.

It sounds like he is related to you in several ways, so why not be responsible for you -- like a brother would be.

What is your living situation "on your own"?

So Im 16 and when I was 8 my biological father abandoned me and my little sister at school which led to us being in my grandmothers custody, then my mothers, then my sisters when my mother died. I only saw my father 2 after that and has had no communication with him in 6 years. My younger sister just located him. Although his parental rights were terminated 1 year ago, does he legally owe anything to me?

I am currently living with a former teacher and his wife and they will provide me with shelter food and basic utilities for housework and maintaining going to school full time. I pay for phone bills, clothes, bus fare and any random thing I need for myself.

That's not on your own.

Is it not? I pay for most of my bills and what I don't pay for I work for. Like a live in house keeper, it's the same basic concept, what I earn just goes to my bills instead of into my pocket and then to my bills.

With a job, probono lawyer you actually know, social security benifits etc. Got a real answer for me?

Smartass too... got a HUGE life lesson to learn if they ever get out on their own... Good luck finding a pro-bono lawyer for a stupid lawsuit like you are proposing... I wouldn't trust a lawyer that touched that case with taking care of fighting a parking ticket.

Is it not? I pay for most of my bills and what i dont pay for i work for. Like a live in house keeper, its the same basic concept, what i earn just goes to my bills instead of into my pocket and then to my bills.

REAL obvious now they don't have a clue about the real world much less the law. I'd love to be a fly on the wall their first month on their own...

Can you shop for groceries and cook so you won't starve to death?

Incidentally... running away from home or being tossed out for being a cocky SOB doesn't qualify as legally emancipated FYI.

Yes I cook for myself now, despite my age I do understand basic life concepts like 20 dollars of groceries goes farther than 4 meals at McDonalds. I may be 16 but I've been raising myself since I was 10.
And to Smoothy, yeah I'm a smart but I know what I'm doing, I asked for advice not down right criticizim.

So what can you cook? Or by cooking, you mean heating up a can of spaghetti-o's?

Incidentally...running away from home or being tossed out for being a cocky SOB doesn't qualify as legally emancipated FYI.

Got chased out of the house with a high heal because I refused to let a drug dealer disrespect me. If I wasn't a smart I wouldn't have lasted so long in this world.

Legit meals, shepherds pie, chicken veggies mashed potatoes, beef stew, anything I can find a recipe to I can usual cook pretty well

In a word, legally - no.

And you are going to cook when (full-time school and full-time job)?

OP's threads should be combined. She's Hell bent on suing someone, anyone.

I think we have a troll with too much time on his hands....
Who can't spell...

Got chased out of the house with a high heal because i refused to let a drug dealer disrespect me. If i wasnt a smart i wouldnt have lasted so long in this world.

I can't imagine being chased around by someone brandishing a high heal. Or a low heal, for that matter.

School for me is only 4 days a week not five and when school starts I will be a paid intern for massage therapy therefor I won't need to work 40 hours a week to make a full time wage. My home situation is not where I need to be, its not safe, and it hinders my ability to get my education to begin with.

You graduated from high school already?

School for me is only 4 days a week not five and when school starts i will be a paid intern for massage therapy therefor i wont need to work 40 hours a week to make a full time wage. My home situation is not where i need to be, its not safe, and it hinders my ability to get my education to begin with.

Then its NOT a full time job and that alone disqualifies you under the law. But then, Reality doesn't have much meaning for you does it.

Hell if you was my kid I'd dump you off in the deep woods.

No Im in a program that allows me to be a paid intern for massage therapy as long as the clientele knows I am not fully license, I have a shop that will hire me when I start back in school in the fall.

Then its NOT a full time job and that alone disqualifies you under the law. But then, Reality doesn't have much meaning for you does it.

Well since I make 20 dollars an hour as an intern which is enough to pay my bills, yeah I think it is enough to convince the judge.

So you will be taking high school classes, being a paid intern, and working at a full-time job somewhere.

School for me is only 4 days a week not five and when school starts i will be a paid intern for massage therapy therefor i wont need to work 40 hours a week to make a full time wage. My home situation is not where i need to be, its not safe, and it hinders my ability to get my education to begin with.


What State are you in? I know a bit about massage therapists. You're 16, right?

Just so I understand - you're walking in with no education the subject, as an intern? Not a student like the rest of the interns?

Why do I think that's a total line of bull. You can't have a license for that until you are an adult... something you are 2 years from chronologically and about 17 years from in maturity.

Well since i make 20 dollars an hour as an intern which is enough to pay my bills, yeah i think it is enough to convince the judge.

THe Bull S*** Alarm is now ringing full volume...

Hell the judge will likely throw you in jail for contempt right after your first lie is exposed. IF you ever make it to a courtroom.

Hard to believe an intern makes $20 an hour. Usually it's very low wage simply as a means to give someone a chance to learn a trade or business. We always had interns at the library, and they made virtually nothing--were there to learn, not to get paid. I interned twice as a counseling student and didn't receive a cent.

Why on earth would a massage parlor pay you to learn?

I am a massage therapist student and I will be working part time fast food when I am an intern if its is necessary, Yes I understand what I am trying to do and its pros and cons so stop with the young comments and the maturity comments. If you are so mature, unsubscribe and stop leaving comments because the hate is unnecessary. I realize I'm taking on a lot but you don't understand what I've been through to need this.

No Im in a program that allows me to be a paid intern for massage therapy as long as the clientele knows i am not fully license, i have a shop that will hire me when I start back in school in the fall.


Please let me know more about the program - a paid intern in your State is allowed to have physical contact with clients when the intern is not of legal age and is not "fully" licensed.

Really?

This gets better and better!

I am a massage therapist student and i will be working part time fast food when i am an intern if its is necessary, Yes i understand what i am trying to do and its pros and cons so stop with the young comments and the maturity comments. if you are so mature, unsubscribe and stop leaving comments because the hate is unnecessary. i realize im taking on alot but you dont understand what ive been through to need this.

It's a Massage Therapist Program, not a Massage Therapy Program. Want to guess how I know?

One of my stepdaughters is an instructor in California!

Then its NOT a full time job and that alone disqualifies you under the law. But then, Reality doesn't have much meaning for you does it.

Hell if you was my kid I'd dump you off in the deep woods.

- with a pork chop tied around her neck.

What kind of "massage"? Now you've got me wondering.

Once again hate is unnecessary, I'm looking for help so if you don't want to help then unsubscribe and stop leaving comments. Thank you

Just so I'm clear on this - my husband and I paid for 2 years of Massage Therapist School PLUS books and additional courses so his daughter could become a Massage Therapist and the whole time she could have taken a class (or maybe not even a class), made $20 an hour and started work when she was 16?

Okay - who do I sue to get my money back.

If my stepdaughter is reading this - and you know who you are - call "home" IMMEDIATELY!

- with a pork chop tied around her neck.

Aren't you guys adults? Maybe you should stop mocking people and actually try informing them if you think they are wrong. And you say I'm immature

Ok, lets start this over. From what I get from all the posts here (all threads have been merged) we have an OP that claims to have been thrown out of the home of their legal guardians and is living as with a former teacher as an unpaid housekeeper in exchange for housework. The OP claims to be getting emancipated soon. And wants to sue their legal guardian for damages to school property and money they loaned the guardian. OP seems to have a 'tude, but maybe deservedly so. So I'm going to suggest we cut some slack here and take this more seriously.

But there is still a lot of missing info here that we need to know. First, ANY question on law needs to include your general locale as laws vary by area. Second, why do you think you will soon be emancipated? Have you actually filed for emancipation? If so, has the case been placed on the docket? Has there been any hearings yet? Third, who are your legal guardians now and what happened to your bio parents? Finally, is your school aware of your home situation and what happened to the school books?

You have to understand that your story has many holes in it. So we are very skeptical. And you aren't helping things with the 'tude. I'm going to give this a chance to start over and will remove any further comments on the truthfulness of your story until we can get more facts. But, by the same token, you have no right to dictate who can or cannot respond to your posts.

IM STILL A STUDENT I'm still taking courses, every massage I give is paid for so I can get experience while getting paid to do so.

What happened to high school?

High school? What happened to licensing? You can't run around putting your hands on people and calling yourself a Physical Therapist. I don't believe this for one second because I'm the one who did the licensing research for my "step."

No one can get insurance, workers comp or otherwise, for a 16 year old UNTRAINED Massage Therapist.

Ok, lets start this over. From what I get from all the posts here (all threads have been merged) we have an OP that claims to have been thrown out of the home of their legal guardians and is living as with a former teacher as an unpaid housekeeper in exchange for housework. The OP claims to be getting emancipated soon. And wants to sue their legal guardian for damages to school property and money they loaned the guardian. OP seems to have a 'tude, but maybe deservedly so. So I'm going to suggest we cut some slack here and take this more seriously.

But there is still a lot of missing info here that we need to know. First, ANY question on law needs to include your general locale as laws vary by area. Second, why do you think you will soon be emancipated? Have you actually filed for emancipation? If so, has the case been placed on the docket? Has there been any hearings yet? Third, who are your legal guardians now and what happened to your bio parents? Finally, is your school aware of your home situation and what happened to the school books?

Thank you ScottGem
I am 16 I filed the paperwork and after talking to a lawyer and a judge I was told my case will be a short simple and will go through easily for emancipation. I am a paid housekeeper but my pay goes towards my shelter food and basic utilities. My legal guardians are my sister and brother in law who I have not lived with full time in almost a year (ive been in and out of the house) and neither will take care of me. Yes I have an attitude but I was looking for help and I get hate. Very bothersome. Anyway, my school does know of my situation but someone has to pay for the books that were damaged.

My licensing is done through a program that is done through a duel enrollment in high school

No one is hating you. We're trying to stitch your story together into a comprehensive whole piece of cloth.

My licensing is done through a program that is done through a duel enrollment in high school


So you are licensed through a duel (which means two people fighting each other, I assume you mean dual) program at 16, under the legal age?

What State?

I'd like to know what medical center or practice could or would hire a minor... what with Malpractice laws being what they are... not to mention insurance companies looking at every charge with a magnifying glass.

There ARE dual enrollment courses that teens can take. I happen to know a few myself. The person(s) taking the dual enrollment fall under the insurance of the trainer/facility they are training under.

I haven't read the entire thread, I got bored at page 3. A bit shocked that this thread has continued for 7 pages.

To answer the OP's original question, and having seen that his loss is $350, I'll stick to the simple answer.

Anyone can sue. If you want to sue for you school books, and you can prove that they were damaged by your step parents, then go to small claims court and hope that you win. That's really all you can do.

As for the rest, I wish you good luck, you'll need it, and I hope you succeed.

Rai, I would like to say that I, for one, do believe your story. While there are some holes that needed to be filled, I believe you are indeed trying to better yourself coming out of a bad situation.

I have to say I am so sorry that some of my colleagues treated you in the way in which they did. Some of those posts even embarrassed me as they were in no way the professional advice we try to give here.

The simple answer Rai, is yes you can sue these people, however it will most likely have to be done in small claims court.

Rai, I would like to say that I, for one, do believe your story. While there are some holes that needed to be filled, I believe you are indeed trying to better yourself coming out of a bad situation.

I have to say I am so sorry that some of my colleagues treated you in the way in which they did. Some of those posts even embarrassed me as they were in no way the professional advice we try to give here.

Now I'm thinking I may have to get past page 3. What did I miss? ;)

Thank you J_9 and Alty your advice was helpful

There ARE dual enrollment courses that teens can take. I happen to know a few myself. The person(s) taking the dual enrollment fall under the insurance of the trainer/facility they are training under.

I understand dual enrollment courses. I also know the qualifications for being a massage therapist - and that includes wc and professional liability coverage. A massage therapist "trainee" is hands on. She's not wandering around, handing out wet towels. I also haven't found out which State - which could end this one way or the other.

I'm sorry we are in disagreement here but I do not believe her.

A massage therapist "trainee" is hands on. She's not wandering around, handing out wet towels.

As is a nursing "trainee." I've been there done that. I had to work under a licensed nurse to perform procedures such as starting IVs, foley catheters, etc. I didn't wander around just doing bed baths.

You didn't answer what state this is. But at this point I'm still inclined to believe you.

But as alty said, you can file in small claims court. If you can prove that a) they destroyed the texts and b) you loaned the money, you may win. But then you will have to collect which may not be easy. Also, getting yourself emancipated may backfire a bit in that it makes you responsible for the texts. Right now your guardians are.

Here's a nicely knitted cloth of my situation. I am 16 my adoptive parents (bro in law and sister) are separated and do not take care of me. My mother is deceased and my dad doesn't matter. I live in a home with a former teacher and a his wife, I am a housekeeper for them to pay for my shelter, food and basic utilities. I receive social security benefits which come to a lump sum that covers clothing phone bills and all other necessities. I am in a duel enrollment with my high school and a technical school in the massage therapy program. I have several text books destroyed and money borrowed and never returned. Is there anything I can do about this situation?

There you go simply put

In grad school for counseling, we first counseled other students in our program (and were overseen by our profs) and then later counseled volunteer undergrads in various psych classes. No charge and no payment. Then we moved to internships in the community, and were overseen by supervisors with at least a master's degree. Again, there was no payment to us, and the agency we interned for received sliding-scale payment from the clients who agreed on paper to be counseled by grad students. No licensing (or payment, not even tips) was possible until we had successfully completed the program and graduated.

Rai, the only thing I am questioning is getting paid for the internship. Most internships are not paid positions.

You didn't answer what state this is.
Arizona

Whoops missed it. Ok here's AZ's law: Arisona Passes Emancipation Statute For Minors (http://www.wilcoxlegal.com/articles/minor-emancipation-law-arizona.html)

Someone has been giving the OP good advice. There are 3 requirements that Op has to follow. The 3rd doesn't appear possible, the 2nd, while possible, may be hard to convince a court. But the 1st shows the good advice. Instead of living with the teacher she's the teacher's livein housekeeper. So instead of living with someone, this establishes her as living on her own. Brilliant! So I can see a judge granting emancipation here.

But I'm also bothered by the paid intern thing. Interns are almost legal slaves. They work for peanuts to gain experience.

Here's a nicely knitted cloth of my situation. I am 16 my adoptive parents (bro in law and sister) are separated and do not take care of me. My mother is deceased and my dad doesn't matter. I live in a home with a former teacher and a his wife, I am a housekeeper for them to pay for my shelter, food and basic utilities. I receive social security benefits which come to a lump sum that covers clothing phone bills and all other necessities. I am in a duel enrollment with my high school and a technical school in the massage therapy program. I have several text books destroyed and money borrowed and never returned. Is there anything i can do about this situation?

There you go simply put

Simply put, small claims court is your only option. But, like Scott said, and I'm by no means a legal expert, being emancipated can play a role in this. If you are emancipated, you're responsible for your own books, and the cost if they were destroyed.

Any money owed to you, you'd have to prove. Can you prove it? Do you have statements, an IOU, a contract, stating that they borrowed that money and were going to pay you back?

Sometimes life's lessons aren't easy. Sometimes you pay the price.

If you have a case, and can prove your case, then it may be worth your time to go to small claims and state your case. But, even if you win, collecting won't be easy. Winning doesn't mean that you're automatically paid.

It all depends on how much you're willing to put into this, how much you're willing to lose, because even if you win, that money may never go into your pocket.

Sad but true.

This is a judgement call, and as an emancipated minor, it's your judgement call. How much time and effort are you willing to put towards this, knowing that even if you win, you may never be made whole financially?

And maybe not even for peanuts, especially if the person/salon she interns for isn't approved by the school or under their umbrella. Depends on the school's requirements for interning and their definition of it.

Hey guys, I hire interns, I get college students to work 10 or 20 hours a week at either no pay at all, or for costs ( perhaps 10 dollars a day)

With that said, they get training in something like book keeping, or marketing or experience working toward a fitness certification.

But yes, it may be a issue of terms, but in general, if they are really looking for an intern, there will not be pay, or just gas and parking money

I took an animal health care class during high school. It was called an ROP class (not sure what that stands for) but it sounds like it may be the same as a 'dual enrollment' type program. We weren't paid, or employed or interned, but we DID preform actual functions of vet techs. Such as giving lambs their vit B shots. (under the supervision of our teacher)

I believe the OP too. Its very easy to get years of information all garbled up and confused in one post.

OP I wish you luck, and hope that you are able to get to where you need to be.

May I ask the reason why you have taken the route of emancipation from your sister and brother in law? Were they cruel to you? Or is it just because of the damage to your school property?

And, though off topic, I would really like to know if you are a boy or girl. Lol. I see lots of people saying her. And then lots of people saying him.

All my texts in high school were supplied by the school and collected at the end of each class (for redistribution to a later class).

That was a different era WG. Books are now distributed at the beginning of the year and given back to the school at year end so as the kids can take them home to study with.

That was a different era WG. Books are now distributed at the beginning of the year and given back to the school at year end so as the kids can take them home to study with.
That's what I said. Class = course = semester or however long the class is. So "my era" did it the same way as now apparently.

Oh, guess I misunderstood you. Not had much sleep lately. :(

Im a girl:) and Im getting emancipated because I'm am emotionally abused and constantly threatened but that won't hold up in court so I'm going to point out the other things that are true but I've just been putting up with for years; drug abuse, neglect, hindering my ability to get an education.

Rai, thanks for clarifying your gender. I ask you to understand that emancipation is something very hard to get and rarely granted. Too often teens jump at it when they have no chance to qualify. That's why we react to such requests. You appear to be the exception.

But we have answered your question about a lawsuit. Did you have any others?

Im a girl:) and Im getting emancipated because im am emotionally abused and constantly threatened but that wont hold up in court so im gonna point out the other things that are true but ive just been putting up with for years; drug abuse, neglect, hindering my ability to get an education.

I thought you were ; I couldn't see a l6 year old male in that housekeeping role !

I have a question for the OP. What was your taxable income for last year? Also Im sure your aware but the Social Security that you receive from your mothers passing will stop with the emancipation. How do you plan to make up for it?

I have a question for the OP. What was your taxable income for last year? Also Im sure your aware but the Social Security that you recieve from your mothers passing will stop with the emancipation. How do you plan to make up for it?

I just "got on" and was going to ask the same question - off to find "step" just for my own edification concerning what massage therapists can and cannot do in Arizona -

And $20 an hour for an intern, for starters?

But, yes, the legal question has been answered. Would have been easier if the State had been given the first three times I asked for it - but...

Hopefully OP will come back and let us know how this plays out.