Emancipation question

[Guest]

My girlfriend was kicked out of her house 3 months ago and she is 17-years-old. Shes been living with friends and finished her Junior year of high school there so it is currently summer break. She left Wisconsin state to live with me in Tennessee. That following day she arrived, her dad has called her and asked where she was. She told him she was in Tennessee and he then told her to return within a week or he's calling the police. The reason we don't want her to go back is because of neglect and abuse. She's tried filing for abuse in Wisconsin with child services but they never believed her. According to her, she's not able to get emancipated there. She's fully capable of handling herself and has a safe place to live, plus there's a high school right down the road. Would she be able to file for emancipation in the state of Tennessee if she's residing here now? Also, would I be considered as harboring a runaway?

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out for your girlfriend today.

Sounds like your girlfriend was kicked out, and now her dad is making her go back to WI. This seems like an incredibly difficult situation, and we are not legal experts but can speak generally. It is complicated because it is illegal for a parent to kick out a child before they are 17 without anywhere to go. Child protective services (CPS) might consider that neglect. It is understandable that she might not want to report again since they failed her last time, but she still has that option. To learn more about what reporting could look like for her, you might call the expert child advocates at Child Help 1-800-422-4453.

It might be hard for your girlfriend to petition for emancipation in TN after living in WI since sometimes parental consent is required for emancipation. Also, emancipation can be a longer, costly process so it might be hard for her to do before she turns 18. To learn more about emancipation or to get legal aid resources, please call or chat us.

It sounds like you are at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway since she is staying with you and her dad is telling her to come home. If you are under 18, it would be your parents who are at risk of being charged with harboring a runaway, not you. However, it sounds like the real story is that you are housing your girlfriend after she was kicked out of her home; which would make your situation different. You might reach out to your local police department’s non-emergency number and ask about your situation anonymously. You also might seek legal counsel. If you call or chat us, we can look up legal aid resources for you.

If you would like to talk through your situation, please do not hesitate to reach out via chat or calling. We are here to listen, here to help.