Do my parents have to sign emancipation?

Answer 1

It depends on what state and the laws in your state. A person is a minor (and therefore under the control of his parents or guardians) until he attains the Age of Majority (18 years in most states), at which point he is an adult. However, in special circumstances, a minor can be freed from control by his guardian before turning 18. In most states, the circumstances in which a minor becomes emancipated are enlisting in the military and marrying, both of which require parent or guardian consent, or obtaining a court order from a judge, which does not. The exact laws and protocols for obtaining emancipation vary from state to state. In most states, the minor must file a petition with the family court in the applicable jurisdiction, formally requesting emancipation and citing reasons why it is in his best interest to be emancipated. The minor must prove financial self-sufficiency. Many states require that the minor have been living separate from his parents or guardians for a period of time; however, consent of the parents or guardians is necessary in order to avoid being classified simply as "running away." In some states, free legal aid is available to minors seeking emancipation, through children's law centers. This can be a valuable resource for minors trying to create a convincing emancipation petition. Students are able to stay with a guardian if necessary. What an emancipated minor is legally able to do depends heavily on state law. Many states, for example New York [1], grant emancipated minors no additional rights over unemancipated minors except the rights to personal control over property, finances and residency. Emancipations are rarely granted, because of the subjectivity and narrowness of the definition of "best interest." On one end of the spectrum are minors who have been victims of abuse; in most cases, the state's department of child services will be notified and the child placed in foster care. On the other end of the spectrum are minors who are seeking emancipation for reasons such as being dissatisfied with their parents' or guardians' rules. In those cases, the emancipation will most likely be denied and the minor will be sent back home with the parent or guardian. Straight from Wikipedia.

Answer 2

{| |- | Parents don't get to decide whether a child can be emancipated or not. The court will make the final decision. The parents do get to state their case and the courts are usually going to support that position. The parents are responsible for a minor until they are adults and the court isn't going to want to risk the child becoming a ward of the state. |}