What are the requirements to become emancipated?

Full question:

Can a 17 year-old minor in New York City be emancipated while still living in her parents' home? What are the exact steps that must be taken to emancipate such a minor?

  • Category: Minors
  • Subcategory: Emancipation of Minor
  • Date:
  • State: New York

Answer:

The State of New York does not have an emancipation statute available or a court proceeding to remove the disability of minority. Rather, the status of a youth will turn on the specific facts of the case. In order to become emancipated, the minor must typically live independently and be self-supporting. Because New York does not have an emancipation statute, it is a matter for the court to decide based on the facts and circumstances in each case.

According to caselaw, in the State of New York "emancipation" has been defined as the renunciation of parental rights to a child. Also a minor is considered emancipated he or she is married, he or she is in the armed services, he or she has established a home and is financially independent, or his or her parent has failed to fulfill parental support obligations and the minor seeks emancipation. It is generally not possible to be meancipated while living in a parent's home and being dependent on them for providing shelter and other support. If a minor establishes independence from parents, a petition for emancipation may be filed in the surrogate's court.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.

FAQs

In New York, parents have the legal right to prevent their 17-year-old child from moving out. Since minors are not considered legally independent, parents can enforce rules regarding where their child lives until they reach the age of majority, which is 18. However, if a minor seeks emancipation, they may be able to establish independence, but this typically requires living separately and being financially self-supporting.