Can I move out at 17 without parent consent in Michigan?

[ccsmod16]

Re: Can I move out at 17 without parent consent in Michigan?

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline! We’re glad you found us. It really shows that you’ve got a good head on your shoulders that you’re looking for answers on these legal issues to make sure you and your boyfriend’s family don’t get in trouble. We’re also sorry to hear you were in an abusive situation at home and respect the choice you made to keep yourself safe.

Here at NRS, we aren’t legal experts, but we can speak in general terms about some of your questions. In the state of Michigan, the age of majority (the age you become a legal adult who can move out without your parents’ consent) is 18. Until you turn 18, your parents are legally responsible for taking care of you and keeping you safe, and it is within their right to file a runaway report with the police in an effort to bring you back home. Running away is a status offense, so if your parents were to file this report and the police were to find you, they would simply bring you back home (you wouldn’t get in trouble with the law unless there was something illegal happening when they found you). There are three ways you can live outside the home as a minor: 1) emancipation, 2) child protective services, and 3) with your parents’ permission. Since you’ve been living outside the home and they (assumedly) haven’t filed a police report to qualify you as a runaway, you’ve technically been in that “parents’ permission” category. It sounds as though they’ve threatened to end this arrangement when you go on vacation. It is within their rights to press charges against your boyfriend’s parents for “harboring a runaway,” which is often a misdemeanor charge. However, every police agency handles these situations differently, particularly if there’s a history of abuse and with 17-year olds who are close to turning 18. We often recommend that youth reach out to their local police department on their non-emergency number (listed on their website) to ask how they would typically handle a situation like this. If you’d like support in making this call, we’re happy to do it with you, just give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929), and we’ll help you ask the police the right questions. If you’d feel comfortable, we could also facilitate a 3-way phone conversation between you and your parents to try to work out an agreement that wouldn’t interrupt your vacation. We’re here for you 24/7, so don’t hesitate to chat/call us to work through some of these questions.

Good luck to you!
NRS

[Unregistered]

i need help

I'm 16 and my parents have been divorced since I was 5. I want to live with my mom but my dad always wants to take my mom to court over it so when I turn 17 which will be in September 2016 can I live with my mom and not be forced to go back to my dad's?

[ccsmod3]

Re: Can I move out at 17 without parent consent in Michigan?

Hello there,

Thanks so much for taking time to check out our forum and share a little bit about your situation. It sounds like your main focus is figuring out whether it is possible to live with your mom and not be forced to go back to your dad's. We aren't legal experts, but often police will consider situations such as yours as custody disputes to be handled in court rather than a runaway situation should you leave. The only way to know for sure would be to reach out to your local law enforcement. We'd be happy to provide you with your non-emergency police number as well as legal aid if we know your city/state. Hopefully this gives you a start and we wish you the best of luck!

[Unregistered]

Re: Can I move out at 17 without parent consent in Michigan?

im 16 now and i turn 17 in 5 months. I want to know if i can move out at 17 becuase my house and family is a s**t hole. My mom sometimes doesnt even make dinner and my dad stays out really late so we feed ourselves. there are four of us kids im the oldest, i have a fear that my dad is going to snap one day and hurt me or someone else he has a very short temper an you never know when hes going to be calm or be angry. My parents cheat on eachother and do nothing about it and ive actually caught one of them cheating. ive talked to my dad about him getting a divorce and he said htat she was the one who was going to be leaving but that he still " loved " her and that they were workign on it. htey dont even wear their wedding rings and havnent since i was 6. i have a boyfriend whose family is willing to let me live with them adn my dad said he was ok with me moving out as long as i had a job i currently work two summer jobs one that pays welll and the other fairly well so if needed to i caould buy my own place. i pay my own phone bill adn inssurance and gas and for my own clothes i drop the kids off im literally the parent when htey dont do hteir jobs. and them staying together isnt helping but htey say that thye are stayhing together for us kids. im looking to get a third job and next year im gettin my CNA's license and gettign a job at a nursing home. my parents fight a lot nad have made us all run outside like we wer3e on fire htey yell at us constantly and even though i pay my own phone bill htey go through my phone and take it asway for no reason and im hte maid of the house and thye ground me for nothing i have stright a's and they tell me i have crappy grades, i gt called a whore and hte only guy i have been wiht is my boyfriend who i have been dating for over a year. i get called a w***e, a horny b***h and ohter names and i have suffered from depression and i still kinda do not as much since i met my boyfrined. MY mom is a manipulating women who thinks she controls my life she is telling everyone that im going to be a doctor when i just want to be an RN and i have no choice in the sports i play or hte colleve i go to or anything else i can barely pick my own outfitt becuse hse wants me to look a certain way ijm just really upset and sick of teh way they live an treat me nd my siblings and we have called CPS oneve and i wish i hadnt my parenst made me se a therapist becuase i had " mental " issues and they said that i had problems and that i was messsed up. i just want out becuse its either my mom leaves or i walk out on my whole family completely and just chnage my number and block every one they all treat me like s**t i dont know what to do cna i leave at 17 or no?i live in michingan and ive heard you can

[ccsmod2]

re: Can I move out without parent consent in Michigan?

Hey there,

Thank you for contacting us. We do want to let you know that we are not legal experts here. So we can't say for sure what you can do at 17 in your state of Michigan. A lot of times, even though you are close to 18, you are still considered a minor. Apartments usually aren't legally able to rent to anyone under 18 years old. Unless you are considering emancipation, it may be difficult to move out and live completely without your parents. If you leave and your mom files a runaway report for you, there is a chance you could be made to go back home and your boyfriends family could be in legal trouble. They could be charged with harboring a runaway. You seem to be really independent, despite your feelings that your parents don't take care of you. That's really resourceful of you. It may be helpful to save some of your funds so that whenever you can move out on your own you would have that to survive off of.

Best of luck to you,
NRS

[Unregistered]

you can move out at 17 in michigan

It is legal. While the age of majority in most states, when you can leave home without permission, is 18; we often hear that in Michigan they consider youth adults at the age of 17 which means your parents may not be able to make a runaway report or make you return home if you leave after that age.

[ccsmod10]

RE: you can move out at 17 in michigan

Hello There!

Thank you for posting on our forum. You articulated leaving home prior to 18 very well. One way to know how runaway reports are regarding 17 year old youth you can call you local police district's non-emergency number to. You would not have to give any identifying information or any specifics regarding the situation. If you do not feel comfortable doing so, you can call us at 1800-RUNAWAY and we can then call out on your behalf or with you.

Best Wishes,
NRS

[Unregistered]

Help???

Hi,

Okay so I live in Michigan and I'm 16, about to be 17. My boyfriend (now fiancé) is 18 and lives in Kentucky. I know I have to be 17 to move out without consent and they can charge him with harboring a minor. I graduate high school next year and he wants me to come live with him right after I graduate. My parents will stop at nothing to keep me here. I've tried talking to them, but they won't listen and they don't want me to be with him. Don't get me wrong I love my parents but I love my fiancé too and I want to go live with him... If my parents call the police (as because they don't know where he lives) and they don't find me by the time I turn 18 am I going to be allowed to stay with him? What do I do?

[ccsmod6]

Re: Help???

Hello there,

Thank you for writing on our forums here at NRS. It sounds like you and your parents don’t approve of your boyfriend who is now your fiancé. It sounds like a frustrating time for you and him because of the disagreement you have with your parents. You ask some good questions about what may happen if your parents called the police but you weren’t found until you were 18. We unfortunately are not legal experts, and we often encourage youth to call local non-emergency police to learn more about runaway laws in your area. Interstate runaway laws may vary from Michigan to Kentucky. Most states have laws against harboring a minor, in which you already know that your boyfriend could face legal issues if you were found with him somehow- charges may occur in Michigan or Kentucky, or even both. It is important to think about safety as well as other issues when deciding to leave home at 17. Generally, a runaway minor report becomes invalid upon the turning of age 18, but as stated we do not have legal background to give a specific answer on what is allowed or not allowed. We can offer legal resources if you’d like. We invite you to call in or chat with us, or even email if you wanted some resources or additional information.

Whatever your decision may be, we hope you stay safe.

Take care,
NRS

[Unregistered]

??

I turn 17 in exactly a week. I feel like I'm not wanted at home and I'm miserable. I live with my mom right now but I don't feel any better at my dads. I've been stressed so bad that I'm going bald and I've been really sick. I live in Michigan and I was going to move into an apartment with my boyfriend. I've been told that at 17 I'm fine to leave and my parents has no say. I just wanted to make sure.

[ccsmod15]

Re: Can I move out at 17 without parent consent in Michigan?

Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out to us at NRS. We’re sorry to hear that you are having such a tough time. It must be really upsetting to not feel welcome in your own home.
It sounds like you could definitely use some support. It’s good that you are trying to be responsible and find out your legal rights. In Michigan, you are not considered a legal adult until you are 18. That means that your parents can file a runaway report if you leave home without consent. However, running away is a status offense, not a crime. If your parents do not file a report with the police, there would be no reason for the authorities to contact you. Maybe if you try some different communication strategies, you could talk to them about the situation. We’d be happy to help you with that. A family friend or relative might also be able to help you talk to them.
Living on your own might be a pretty big change. Have you thought about how you would support yourself? We’d be happy to talk through your options with you. We’re here to listen 24/7.
Take care,
NRS

[Unregistered]

what can i do to try and change this law?

My daughter just turned 17 yrs old yesterday, for the past yr I have been having problems with her. Mostly talking back and not to mention she has hit me twice. This is a law that is doing these kids more harm than good. She left yesterday when I told her not too, she hasn't came home n its the next day....its like what do you do??? She is making crazy decisions and not thinking straight at all. But what I do know is no child of mines will walk in and out of my own whenever they feel like it. I don't care what any law Say's the doors will be locked!!!!


#Help looking for answers #

[Unregistered]

Question

I want to move out. I've wanted to since I was 14. I'm 17. I turn 18 in November. Still in highschool.
If I move out and my parents call the police, will they take me back to my parents? Does anyone have any experience with leaving home?

[ccsmod15]

Re: Can I move out at 17 without parent consent in Michigan?

Thank you for reaching out to us at NRS. It sounds like you have considered moving out for a few years now but are worried about law enforcement getting involved.

We are not legal experts, but we can speak in general terms. If you were to leave, then your parents have the option to file a runaway report. This means, if the police were to find you, they would return you back to your parents. If the police found you at a friend or family members, there is the possibility that they could be charged with harboring a runaway. Another option would be to call your local non-emergency number and ask them how they would handle a runaway report of a 17 year old (law enforcement varies on due to the fact that you are close to 18 )

You know your situation best, and we are here to help in any way possible. If you were to move out, have you considered the following?
- Where would you stay? With whom?
- Would you remain in High School?
- Would you have access to transportation/food/water?

We hope this helped and we would be happy to discuss further. You can call our 24/7 hotline at 1-800-786-2929 or reach us via chat every day from 4:30pm-11:30pm CST. We wish you the best of luck. -NRS

[Unregistered]

Can I move out at 17 ???

Hello, my name is *** and for awhile now there has been alot of fighting between my family and me... I want to move out when I turn 17 . I have a steady job and a possible but pending place to stay. I pay for almost anything I have and im tired of my family saying im lazy when I do more hard work in this house than most of them. So can I move out without being driven back here by police.