Custody

[Guest]

Hi there. My name is ******. Im 16 years old. I live in Lansing, Michigan. I havent wanted to live with my mom for 3 years. Theres a 50/50 custody order. I know i can move to dads full time when i turn 17. Can i move to dads now? Me and my mom hadnt had a relationship for 5 years. I grew up with her beating me. She tried hitting me not that long ago and said she didnt. Im scared to be there with her. I want to be with my dad full time. What can i do? Thanks!

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today. Sounds like you are in a very difficult situation with having split custody and living with your mom; while she has a history of beating you and has recently attempted to hit you.

Just so you know, you do have the right to report each instance of abuse to child protective services (CPS). You so do not deserve to be harmed in anyway. If you are interested in reporting the abuse you might reach out to the expert child advocates at Child Help 1-800-422-4453. You can also reach out to us at 1-800-RUNAWAY if you would like assistance reporting.

We are not legal experts or experts on custody agreements so we can only answer your question generally. Since you are 16, you might have some rights with deciding who you live with depending on Michigan's custody laws. In some states, there are laws that state that older teens do have a say in which guardian they live with. If you call or chat us, we can provide you with local legal aid resources if you would like to talk to a legal expert about your situation. If you did leave your mom's house to go to your dad's house, it could be really hard for her to file a runaway report for you with local police since you are with a guardian. So if police know the whole situation they typically would not take a runaway report for you. They could tell your mom that it is a civil issue for the courts and not get involved. If your mom cannot file a runaway report for you, there is no way you can be listed as a runaway or be forcibly returned home. You might try to talk to your dad and to see if he is willing to reach out to legal services for you, and to see if he is willing to have you stay with him full time. If police do take a runaway report for you, it is possible that you could be returned home to your mom if found.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you would like to talk through your situation or if you need any support.

Best,

NRS