Moving out at 17.. (Alabama)

[Unregistered]

I turn 17 in December and I had a job but my parents Made me quit. The manager of the place is a retired cop and he told me that when I turn 17 I can legally move out and my parents can't call cops and pick me up as a run away.. I need any helpful answers I can get. I appreciate the help.

[ccsmod8]

RE: Moving out at 17.. (Alabama)

Hello,

Thank you for getting into contact with us here at the National Runaway Safeline. From what it sounds like you might be going through a very hard time right now at home. It must be a little frustrating to have to give up working at your job because your parents made you. Is there something in particular going on at home?

Unfortunately, here at the NRS we cannot tell you in definite terms because we are not legal experts. Laws on that specific subject vary from state to state, so our usual advice would be call your local non-emergency police number to get more information on that. It sounds like you have already started to talk to someone that is a retired police officer, but perhaps it would still be a good thing to call just in case there were minor changes to that specific law. What typically happens though; your parents are able to make a runaway report for something under the age of 18, in the event that you do leave, but since it’s only considered a statues offense the only thing that would happen is that the police will pick you up and bring you back home. Again this does depend on your specific state laws and police policy. It sounds like you have given a lot of thought in to what you want to do though. If you were to leave, what kinds of things do you think that your parents would do? What is your overall plan (i.e. housing, transportation, financial stability, school options etc)?

Once again thank you for writing into the NRS bulletin board, we are always here to listen and here to help you with everything we can. You can also call into our 24hour hotline (1.800.RUNAWAY) for a more immediate response, as well as connect you to some resources that we might have on hand. Another service that we offer here at the NRS is our chat room which is offered from 4:30pm to 11:30pm/CST (www.1800RUNAWAY.org). If you feel more comfortable with that opinion we are more than welcome to contact us through that.

Look forward to talking with you and best of luck.

[valarie12]

moving out

Hi what age do you have to be to move out in Alabama cause a police officer told me that at the age 18 I can move out and leave was her wrong or right

[ccsmod9]

RE: moving out

Hello,

We are glad you reached out to us. We aren't legal experts but we can speak generally on the matter. In most state you are no longer a minor at 18, which typically means that yes you can choose where you are to live.
Hope this helps and you can always contact us directly at 1-800-RUNAWAY. Good luck.

NRS

[Unregistered]

Alabama

Im only 17, if i had a baby could my parents take him/her away ?

[ccsmod0]

re: Alabama

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out today. It sounds like you’re trying to get some information about your rights as a parent. That’s really smart because then you can work to figure out your next steps.

So we aren’t legal experts here, but we are able to speak generally. It can be easiest to think about it this way: In the same way that your parents are your legal guardian until you turn 18, you would be the legal guardian for your baby until the baby turns 18. If you had a child, you would have the right to care for that child. Now, just like if you were in danger or if living with your parents was unsafe, you might be removed from your parent’s care, if your child was unsafe, then your child might be removed from your care. That can happen sometimes if the child isn’t getting food or if the child is being hurt. We’re not saying that you would hurt your child! We just want to give you all the information.

One resource that might be helpful to you is an organization called: www.sexetc.org. They have some resources there about what rights you have as a parent. Check them out and see what they might be able to offer you.

We hope that this is helpful for you. If you’d like to talk more about anything or have any other questions, please call or chat with us. You can call us 24 hours a day at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat with us through our website (www.1800runaway.org) from 4.30pm-11.30pm central time.

We look forward to your call or chat.

Best of luck to you,

NRS

[Unregistered]

If your 17 and your dad has full custody of you and want to move out to your moms and live with her for a reason

[ccsmod4]

Moving out at 17.. (Alabama)

Hello,
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.

We are not sure what happened but it seems like you were not able to finish your train of thought.
We would like to be of help if we can so maybe you can call in to ask your question or repost a finished one.
You should know that we are not legal experts and at best can only give a generalization of something pertaining to something that is of a legal matter.
We can however try and locate legal services in your area as another option to try. Does that make sense?

You can reach NRS at 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) 24hrs or www.1800Runaway.org (live chat).

We hope to hear from you.

Take Care,
NRS

[Unregistered]

moving out

Can I move out at 17 about to be 18 my dad is to controlling and I have a place to go can I go now

[ccsmod16]

re: moving out

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are interested in leaving home and looking to find out if you can do so at the age of 17.

We aren’t legal experts, so we can’t offer legal advice, but we can provide some general information for you. In Alabama the age of majority is 19, so you would legally be considered a minor until you turn 19. What this means is that if you run away from home and your parents filed a runaway report, the police could make you return home. Since you are a minor, it would be a status offense, not a criminal offense, so you would not be arrested and it would not go on a criminal record. However, if a runaway report is filed, it’s possible that anyone you stay with could be charged with harboring a runaway. Again, we are not legal experts, and these cases are handled differently in every city.

One way to see how this type of situation is handled in your city would be to call your local police department and ask them about it- you wouldn’t have to give them any identifying information.

Some things to consider if you do plan to leave home include how you will support yourself and how you will stay safe. If you haven’t done so already, you could also think about talking to a friend, relative, teacher, or counselor about what’s going on at home and how you feel that your dad is being too controlling. We are also happy to talk through this with you and discuss other options, such as counseling or an alternative living arrangement.

We are here to listen and help 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

NRS

[Unregistered]

18 but not graduated: minor or adult?

Can you move out if you are 18 yet still haven't graduated high school yet in the state of Alabama? Can someone please let me know.

[ccsmod0]

Re: Moving out at 17.. (Alabama)

Hello,
Thank you for contacting us here at the National Runaway Safeline.
It sounds like you are questioning if you will be able to move out at the age of 18 in Alabama. This is really good question that we are glad that you asked. We would like you to know that we are not legal experts but to our knowledge the age of majority in Alabama is 19. This means that if you were to move out before this age that it would be considered running away.
We are not legal experts nor are we affiliated with the police so we can only speak generally about what could happen if a youth leaves home without the consent of a guardian. You can find out more about how runaway’s reports are carried out by contacting your local police department. If you would like we could contact your local non-emergency number for you or with you. Just give us a call and one of our trained liners would be happy to assist you. 1-800-RUNAWAY

[Unregistered]

Re: Moving out at 17.. (Alabama)

The age of majority in Alabama is 19, but if I graduate high school at 18 and want to leave the state, could my parents file me as a runaway if I move to a state and become a citizen where the age of majority is 18?

[ccsmod15]

Re: Moving out at 17.. (Alabama)

Hi,
Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like things might be difficult at home right now. Home should be a place where you feel safe and loved. We are here to help you explore your options.

You shared that you have plans to leave home after graduation at the age of 18 and have some concerns about runaway reports. While we are not legal experts, generally speaking as long as you are still considered a minor in your home state (have not yet reached aged of majority) your parents have the right to file a runaway report if you leave home without their permission. This means if the police were to find you, they could make you return home.

Some other options you could consider could be seeing if there is any other family member or close friend that you could stay with for a while, with your parent’s permission. We could also help you look up youth shelters or alternative living arrangements (ALAs) in your area. You have several options available to you.

If you have further legal questions, we can assist you in looking up legal resources in your town. Another good resource is online at https://sexetc.org/action-center/sex-in-the-states/ that has answers to many questions about similar things concerning minors.

If you would like further help exploring any of these options or others in more detail, please feel free to reach out to us directly by calling us at 1-800- RUNAWAY or chatting with us live on our website at www.1800.runaway.org. We look forward to hearing from you.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

This forums are stupid if you refuse to answer real questions. For all of you reading. legal adult age in Alabama is 19, not 18. So yes your parents can get the police to get you within the State of AL till you are 19. However if you leave the state thats another story.

[ccsmod7]

Hey there!

Thank you so much for contacting us at National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are having a rough time at home. We’re sorry that your parents forced you to quit your job. Losing that kind of independence can be tough.

You wrote to us inquiring about runaway laws. We are not legal experts here at NRS, but typically you need to be 18 to legally move out of your parents’ house. It sounds like you received a lot information from your former manager, but just in case we’ll tell you generally about runaway laws. As we told you, 18 is the typical age that is recognized as the legal age of adulthood. If you runaway as a minor before then your parents will be able to file a runaway report with the police. If you are found, they will bring you back to your parents/legal guardians. Running is not illegal but you may incur what is called a “status offense.” A status offense will not appear on your permanent record, but the juvenile court may be involved with your case. The other thing you will need to know about is “harboring a runaway.” If you runaway to stay with an adult, be they your friend (18+) or a friend and their parents, they may be charged with harboring a runaway. This is a serious misdemeanor.

But there is hope! While the typical age is 18, runaway laws differ from state-to-state, county-to-county. Your former manager might be right in telling you that you may be able to move out of your parents’ place at 17. In some states and counties they will not take runaway reports for 17-year-olds. Your state/county might be one of those. It sounds like your former manager is familiar with those laws. However, he is retired and the laws may have changed since then. It might be good to call up your local police to find out what the current laws are.

If you do decide to run away, it might be good to also make a plan. Where will you go? Who will you stay with? How will you support yourself? Etc. If you need someone to discuss or plan these things out with you, you can always give us a call. We would love to help you out with your plans and find resources for you if we can. You can also call us if you need to vent about life with your parents. Our phone number is 1-800-RUNAWAY.

We wish you the best and always remember that we’re here to support you 24/7, 365 days a year.

NRS