Hi my name is Brittany.I'm 16yrs old and about to have a baby. I'm writing to ask how do I get emancipated. I've heard that as long as I have a job, a place to stay, show that I can take care of myself without my parents, and have a good reason why I want to get emancipated than I can. I have a full-time job, I don't have my own place but I have a close friend who's mom said that I'm welcome to stay there until I save up enough to get my own, which I know that I can do. I am a very hard working teen, I'm not in school, but I do plan to go back, education is very important. I've had to drop out because of the relationship I had with my mom and because of our living situation, it was hard to go to school when moving from place to place. Don't get me wrong, I'm not like a going to school everyday person but I do plan to go back and get my high school diploma.

The reason for me wanting to get emancipated is because of my mom. I know that she is trying her best/well she said she's trying her best to support me but 3-4yrs, I'd think I'm better off supporting myself. We don't really have a good relationship, we never got along. We don't even have our own place to call home, we go from place to place. And I try to work things out with her, but she this wants to do every thing her way. I've had friends mom who said that they would let me stay at there house and finish school and support myself, but she would never agree with it even thou she wasn't doing anything.Because my dad died, every month she gets money for herself and for me, and she gives me none of it. She as nothing to show that she as been supporting me. She don't buy me cloth,personal items, or other things that I need. I'm not saying that she is a bad mom, I know that when my dad died she had lost something just as much as I did but I just think I can do better without her.

I know what emancipation means and I know that it's not a really good thing to do but I this rather live on my own. Some body told me in order to get emancipated I need my parents or a judge to approve of it, but my mom won't approve and I don't know how to contact a judge to ask for approval. So if there is anybody that can help me please contact me at [email protected].
Thank you

What state do you live in? It does matter, concerning the laws may vary.

See the following, you should be able to find your state:

State Laws on Emancipation of Minors

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Originally Posted by shygrneyzs

What state do you live in? It does matter, concerning the laws may vary.

See the following, you should be able to find your state:

State Laws on Emancipation of Minors

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I LIVE IN Virginia... AND I'VE BEEN TO THAT SITE ALREADY, IT WAS NO HELP.

I really don't know much on the subject. Maybe call the local courthouse and ask to meet with a judge or someone about the topic. It is really hard to get good grades or even pass when you move a lot and all the school are teaching different things. Good luck,. Sorry if this is no help for you.

You need to actually read through the site - look down on the left where it states the states and find Virginia. Read across - you will find emanicpation under Title 16.1, Chapter 11, Article 15. Reads as follows:

§ 16.1-331. Petition for emancipation.
Any minor who has reached his sixteenth birthday and is residing in this Commonwealth, or any parent or guardian of such minor, may petition the juvenile and domestic relations district court for the county or city in which either the minor or his parents or guardian resides for a determination that the minor named in the petition be emancipated. The petition shall contain, in addition to the information required by § 16.1-262, the gender of the minor and, if the petitioner is not the minor, the name of the petitioner and the relationship of the petitioner to the minor.

(1986, c. 506.)

If you do not understand that, then maybe this website all about emancipation in Virginia, by a minor, will help you:
Virginia Emancipation [Archive] - Legal Information

From what your state law is, since you are 16, you can petition the court on your own behalf. Then you need to call the clerk of court or talk to an attorney and find out what all you need to do to get your petition started.

The jest of the entire thing is that family court is going to look at what is in their opinoin, the best interest of "YOU" They may do a home study, to determine if there is a valid reason that you need to be emancipated.

You will need an attorney, and one of the things they look for is not you staying with a friend ( although you can be) but making enough money to pay the rent if you could not stay with that friend, since friends have fights and you would have to move out, so if that happened, where do you live ?
And then having the baby, you will be out of work, you will have to show you can provide not only for you but also the baby.
So your first stop will be hiring an attorney, my guess a couple thousand just to get the ball rolling and if there are several court dates, more.

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