can I move out at 17 without my parents consent in Louisiana?

[Unregistered]

I'm 17 and I live in Louisiana. My parents are extremely controlling and I'm not allowed to do anything. I'm regularly grounded and not allowed to do anything other than achool or work. I'm not even allowed to see my girlfriend. We are constantly arguing and fighting(not physically). Neither of us can stand to be around each other. Would it be legal for me to move out either on my own or with a friend's family or my girlfriends family?

[ccsmod10]

RE: Can I move out at 17 without my parents consent in Louisiana?

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us during this difficult time. It sounds like you are wanting to leave and move in with your girlfriend. Just to let you know, we are not legal experts. Technically it is not against the law for you to leave home without your parents permission. However anyone you would be caught staying with could possibly be charged with ‘harboring a runaway’. Do you have anyone willing to take this risk for you? Have you thought about family counseling?

Here at the National Runaway Safeline, we cannot tell you what you should or should not do. We can however help you come up with a safety plan and explore options. You do have the right to feel safe and wanted in your own home. We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best of luck.

[Unregistered]

17 and moving out

I have ten more months till I'm 17.. I live in Louisiana and I'm wondering if I can move out and live with some family.. But my mother would know where I was. And who I was staying with. So I guess my question is. Can I move out and stay with family. I mean mom would know who I was staying with and where I was.

[ccsmod0]

re: 17 and moving out

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out this morning. It sounds like you’re trying to put together a plan and know your rights in a situation like this. That’s smart. So let’s see how we can help you out.

We’re not legal experts here, but we are able to speak generally as to what might happen. Since you’re 17, if you decide to leave home without your mom’s permission, then your mom has the right to file a runaway report with the police. If the police find you, they could make you go back home all the way until you turn 18. However, if you have permission to move out, then it would okay. The reason for that is because your mom is legally responsible for you until you turn 18. Once you turn 18, you gain that responsibility for yourself, so then you get to decide where you want to live.

Now, in some cities and counties in Louisiana, if you are 17, the police would not make you go back home as long as you are in a safe place. You wouldn’t have the rights of an adult until you turn 18, but the police wouldn’t make you go back home. Again, if you have permission to move out, then you wouldn’t have to worry about a runaway report.

We hope that this helps clear some things up. Please call or chat with us if you have any more questions or want to talk through anything else. We are here 24 hours a day at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). If calling isn’t your thing, you can 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

[Guest]

Howcan i tal to someone about something

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline. Please feel free to contact our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929) if you would like to talk to someone.
Good Luck !
-NRS

[Guest]

I am 16 years old and i live in reading pa my mother is a quite bit controlling and we argue a lot and i wanna go out with friends but she never lets me and i do not find it fair so what could i do can i legally leave without her permission like can i leave a note telling her where i was going and just leave?

[ccsmod7]

Hi, thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you feel like you aren't being afforded the freedom you want, and this is causing conflict with your mom. It can be really hard not being able to see your friends when you want, and wanting to find a way to do so is perfectly reasonable.

There are a few things you may want to consider when making your plan. We are not legal experts but her is some general information. Leaving without your mother's permission, even if you told her where you were could be considered running away. Your mother would have the right to file a runaway report which means that if the police were to find you they would return you to her care. And if you are staying with someone, they could face charges for harboring a runaway, if your mom decided to press charges. If you would like more specific information your local police department could provide that for you through their non-emergency line.

So, to answer your question, yes you could leave but there might be consequences. If you want more help figuring things out or just need to talk feel free to call us anytime at 1800RUNAWAY. We are here to listen, here to help.

We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think.


Best,

NRS

[Guest]

I have about three weeks till I turn 17 and this summer I plan on moving in with a person who takes care of me better than my parents is this illegal?

[ccsmod7]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out today.

18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian. The easiest way to move out at 17 is with your guardian's permission. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you leave home without permission, your parents may file a runaway report with the police. What actions the police take once you are filed as a runaway can vary a lot from state to state and even city to city so we cannot predict exactly what would happen in your case. Generally speaking, if you encounter a police officer while reported as a runaway, you will likely be returned home. However, sometimes local police have different protocols for 17 year olds and might not actively look for you. Another thing to consider is that while running away is not a crime, a legal adult who allows you to stay with them may be putting themselves at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat if you have questions, need resources, or need to talk. We can explore your situation, go over all your options, and come up with a plan and resources to deal with your situation over the phone or on live chat.

We are looking forward to hearing from you soon, and wish you the best of luck.

-NRS

[Guest]

i am 16 years old , will be turning 17 in 3 months . me and my mother haven’t gotten along since my step dads passing and a little before his passing. she drinks every day , her and her boyfriend smoke pot and drink just about every day. me and my mother argue constantly, she makes me do everything for her. sends me to go to the store for her knowing i have no license OR drivers permit. she makes me clean the entire house (chores are a thing i agree but being your mothers made is not acceptable). she takes my money to pay rent when she’s spent all hers on unnecessary stuff , including alcohol and pot.. i want to know if it is legal to move out at 17 without it being classified as running away or being kidnapped by the family member i choose to live with . i’ve looked up the legal age to move out in louisiana , before it said 18, now it’s saying 17 and i want to know if that is true.

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We’re sorry to hear that things at home have deteriorated to the point where you feel like you need to leave. It makes sense to want to leave an environment where you are not treated with the respect and kindness that you deserve.

While we are not legal experts, we do have a great deal of experience working with runaways. It is not illegal to run away. Your parent/guardian could file a runaway report on you but this would NOT mean that you would get arrested or charged with anything. It typically does mean that the police could return you home if they encountered you and that would be that. It is our understanding that this will be the case until you are 18 (the age of majority in LA). Some police can be more understanding about what is going on at your home. In our experience, police will oftentimes return the youth back to their guardian almost no matter what. Police typically do not actively search for a runaway youth. However, they will go where the parent/guardian directs them if they know where you are staying. Additionally, police can sometimes be more lenient about runaway situations the closer you are to 18. You can attempt to calmly, respectfully, and persistently deny them consent to touch you or take you anywhere, and they may give up on trying to return you home. They also may not, in which case you should comply with what they tell you to do for your safety.

If you want to talk more about what is going on and what options you might have, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929 or chat us at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

My daughter chose to leave. She is 17, I know where she is. I gave consent because she is trouble and steals constantly. We have to live with everything locked up and she still manages to steal. Including expensive jewelry. My question is, are we still responsible for her financially as she chose to no longer live with us and this person voluntarily took her in. And if she decides come back can we say no. We don’t want her back.

[ccsmod15]

Hi,


Thank you for reaching out to NRS. It sounds like things have been quite rough at home. Sorry you and your family are going through such a tough time. Financial responsibility could fall on you since she is still a minor, and it could vary based on state. Since you did give consent, she technically would not be considered a runaway. If she does choose to return home while still a minor and you tell her that she is not welcome, the issue of neglect might come up. It’s best to speak to a legal representative in your area about what would constitute child neglect or endangerment. Another resource for your family could be counseling from a mental health professional. It could help with different coping mechanisms, open dialogue, and conflict resolution between you and your daughter. We encourage you to reach out via our online chat service or call our hotline for additional help. We are available 24/7!



Best,
NRS

[Guest]

im 17 years old with 158 days till i move out. my adoptive mom is controlling and has royally screwed my life up.i am a good kid, and i have decided to move to my brothers home in key west.my advice to everyone? if someone does not accept you for who or what you are, avoid them.dont allow them in your life .this is toxic not only for you but for them. l love you .

[ccsmod7]

Hi, thanks for reaching out to us at NRS.

Your topic question asks if you can move out without parents consent, but it sounds like you have a plan to leave home when you turn 18-is that right? While we are not legal experts, if you plan on leaving when you aren’t 18 yet, we have heard that if you are pretty close to 18, the police may be less likely to take action and try to bring you home. If there is abuse happening at home, then the police may also be less likely to make you return home. We’re glad you have the support of your brother and have decided to prioritize your self worth and mental health. If you are wanting to discuss further or are interested in us looking into resources that might be able to help you during this time, our hotline is completely confidential and available 24/7 1-(800) RUNAWAY (786-2929) or online at www.1800runaway.org .

Good luck to you!
NRS

[Guest]

I live in Georgia and would like to move out. I'm 16, and my mom doesn't approve. Everything I look at says emancipation, and that isn't an option for me. What do I do?

[ccsmod5]

Hello,

Thanks for contacting NRS. It sounds like you’ve already done some research on some options. One, If you haven’t already you can contact the local police department anonymously and ask them how they deal with runaways.



It’s also an option to stay with another family member, although your mother would technically have to give permission. We can’t tell from here what kind of situation you are trying to escape from, but making an abuse report at www.childhelp.org may aide in justifying why you shouldn’t be home.



Nonetheless, there are pros and cons of leaving home, and you want to be sure you’re going into a better situation and not a worse situation. Only you can decide how safe you feel at home.



If you ever feel unsafe then seek immediate help from someone you trust or call 911. If you ever need someone to talk to you can text HOME to 741741 to the Crisis Text Line. You can also dial 211 or visit 211.org from any state and see local resources.



We also encourage you to reach back out to us for more detailed help if you need it at anytime. We may be able to provide legal guidance on emancipation, or we can help with finding resources. We are available 24/7 at 1-800-runaway or through a live chat on our website www.1800runaway.org.



Take very good care of yourself, NRS.