Concerning moving out and legal issues

[Unregistered]

I am 16, soon to be 17 girl living in Arizona. My grandmother is looking to move out of my mothers apartment when I turn 17 and I want to go with her. My grandmother is extremely ill and I don't want her living on her own, the only problem is my mother obtains a small amount of social security and child support on my behalf. I heard from her that if I were to move out, she would lose her benefits, although, I don't wish fer this to happen I feel that she should get used to the fact that in the very near future they will diminish when I turn 18. I do love my mother, but she is the kind of person to have a complete one-eighty personality when she has a new boyfriend in her life. I want to move out and rent a one bedroom with my grandmother near my schools (we live in Avondale and my schools are in Glendale), but I don't want to file for emancipation and I don't want to get in trouble with the law. The last thing I need is to be fined for what they call being a runaway.

On a side note, I attend high school and am currently attending Glendale Community College on a school year scholarship. I am a very independent person and am fully capable of taking care of myself and have done so in the past, many times...

I am looking for not only advice, but answers. Will I get in trouble with Arizona laws if I do decide to move in with my grandmother when I turn 17? Is there a way move out and not face legal actions? Is there any advice on talking to my mother about allowing me to move in with my grandmother (fat chance, but worth a try)?

I will be eighteen soon enough, so shouldn't I be allowed a little freedom when it comes to this? I look at it as living with another parent, she will provide everything I will ever need and more....

[ccsmod8]

RE: Concerning moving out and legal issues

Hello,

Thank you for writing into the National Runaway Safeline bulletin board, we are always here to help and here to listen to you and your needs. From what you have told us about your situation it sounds like that could be a little frustrating. It must be very difficult to want to move out and not have that freedom to do, so as you stated.

Unfortunately, here at the NRS we cannot tell you in definite terms on what would happen for someone to leave their house at the age of 17 years old with your grandmother. Laws on that specific subject vary from state to state, so our advice would be call your local non-emergency police number to get more information on that. In most states 17 is still considered a minor and the parent still has a right to file a runaway report. Like we stated earlier, we can’t say for sure what would happen in each specific state, but in general the action taken on runaways if to return the youth back home. Since it is not a crime to runaway, you would be charged with a fine or be put in jail.

It sounds like you have given a lot of thought in to what you want to do in your situation. If you were to leave with your grandmother, what kinds of things do you think that your mother would do? You also mentioned that your grandmother is extremely ill, so what is your overall plan (i.e. housing, transposition, financial stability, grandmother’s health/meds, etc)? Maybe if you have discussed your plan on moving out with your mother in detail, she might feel a little different about the situation. It might just be hard to visualize a plan when there aren’t too many details to talk about. It might be a little challenging for your mother to think that you would be able to take care for your ill grandmother.

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.