- 1). Support yourself financially. You must have a job or some other income to take care of yourself. Having a job shows stability and responsibility to the court. Consider going to school full time. Grant money and scholarships are also a means of financially supporting yourself.
- 2). Move out on your own. In some jurisdictions, it may not be necessary to have your own residence. Check your local laws to be certain. However, if you do live at home, you should be paying rent in order to establish that you do not require parental support.
- 3). Pay your bills on time. Nothing shows responsibility better than keeping your bills current. Make certain to keep all receipts for rent, utilities and any loan payments. You can present these as evidence in court to bolster your petition for emancipation.
- 4). Petition the court. Requests for emancipation are usually heard in family or probate courts. Check your county's website and find your local court. Ask the court clerk for an emancipation petition form. Sometimes the clerk provides the forms or the forms are available on the court's website. Check your local law library to find examples of how the petition should be worded. You can also take your petition to your local Legal Aid Society for assistance in filling it out. In addition, your parents may have to fill out consent forms, either to agree or disagree with your petition. Most jurisdictions will charge a filing fee for your petition, but you can request a Fee Waiver form to ask the court to waive the filing fee. Once the petition is filed, a hearing date will be set.
- 5). Show your evidence. Take all your expense receipts, paycheck stubs and any other evidence you have of your independence. If your parents have agreed to your emancipation, the judge may still decide against it, so your evidence is important. The judge will consider your petition and evidence and then decide whether or not you qualify for emancipation.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -