Not "A Child In Need of Services"

[gigglibox]

I have a couple questions but this is the base:
"A Child in Need of Services" is considered a person under 18, truant, is a habitual runaway, in doing so presents a clear and substantial danger to the child's life or health, the child or family is in need of treatment or rehabilitation services not being recieved, and the intervention of court is necessary to provide that treatment or rehabilitation.
My friend is seventeen, she was pulled out of high school by her parents and forced to be homeschooled, and then clep out of a few classes and then take numerous college classes. she is now a few credits away from earning her associates degree. she has maintained numerous jobs and has signed a contract with her parents for a summer camp counceling job out of state. she is in no need of any services. she already pays her own bills. her parents force her to pay rent.
in order to be emancipated she must either be married, in the military, living on her own, or her parents must give her consent.
she is currently under house arrest according to her parents. they have taken the license plates off of her car, taken her cell phoe, taken away her opportunities for further schooling and a summer job. they are going to take her off of the car and health insurance.
though she is capable of living on her own, she cannot unless she runs away.
virginia laws would not require the police to track her down and bring her home, but she could face a court order to explain why she ran away.
if she is not in need of services, can she walk up to a judge in a courthouse and explain her situation and reason for leaving? if so, why are emancipation laws so difficult?

 

[Proserpina]

Is she CURRENTLY able to pay full market rent, utilities, food, clothing, health insurance, transportation, sundries etc.,?

That's the only way I could see a court even entertaining a petition at this point.

She cannot simply walk into court and ask to speak to a judge - she would have to file a petition. Depending on her current actual age the petition might not even be heard before she turns 18.

As a rule though you are correct - she would need to be ALREADY living apart from her parents, WITH CONSENT.

 

[gigglibox]

That all just does not make sense to me. Why wouldn't they try harder to bring home runaways then if you need consent to be emancipated? I'm going to try talking to my school resource officer, thank you for your help!

 

[gigglibox]

And yes she is perfectly capable of paying all of the bills; she has a secret savings as well as a consistant paycheck. The only problem with insurances is that you must be eighteen to file for insurance seperate from your parents or already be emancipated I'm sure.

 

[Proserpina]

The thing is, running away proves that the minor needs MORE - not less - adult supervision. It's virtually guaranteeing that the court will not approve an emancipation petition.


What is she doing at that age that provides such a salary? (Does she have tens of thousands of dollars in savings?)

 

[army judge]

Seems to me, she's doing well. She's almost an adult. Nothing magical about being an adult, trust me.

She's earning valuable college credits and has a secret stash of loot. That's pretty good.

My advice, chill, time will fly by.





In a few more months, she can give the middle finger salute to her evil parents, take that secret stash of loot, and do what the Three Little Pigs did, make their way in a big, cold, cruel world.



Peter Pan didn't want to grow up. Did you ever wonder why? When you're an adult, you'll know why.

There aren't mythical wolves wanting to blow your house down in the real world. There are wolves that will eat you for a snack.

Chill. Time will pass quickly. Your friend will be free before the next president is elected and inaugurated.

 

[gigglibox]

Oh, I'm sorry, she has enough money to efficiently support herself until she is eighteen, and then a month later she will able to attend and board a college. she's works for espn radio minimum wage, nothing fancy. About five thousand dollars in savings. she worked three jobs last semester while going to school because she didn't want to be at home. she's quit the other two in time.

It's really just the principle. They are taking away her opportunities. They may put her boyfriend in jail for up to a year and put his name on a list of sexual harrassers for life if they file for statutory rape which i believe is completely ridiculous considering it has been consented and continues to be during these three years. It's not as if he's several years older, they met in highschool together. No, it wouldn't be the end of the world if she didn't get this summer job, or did not get into college next semester. But being punished for not having Christian values at such a level as your parents? being punished to this extreme? getting called a whore every day by her parents, then being practically trapped in that house with no place to go, and literally no contact with the outside world, unless she walks to my house half an hour away (which by the way, would be considered running away). it sucks. I'm fortunate my mom sides with me. i wouldn't know how to handle myself if all i did was remain loyal to one boy for three years and my parents found out we had sex and then practically set my life on fire. she was grounded like this for a year and a half when she was fifteen, and almost tried to commit suicide because at the time freedom was three years away. as i had said before, they disontinued her public schooling, they still havent given her a diploma for her finishing in a homeschooled level which could really provide some potential problems if they want to turn around and say she never did her work and doesn't deserve it.

it's not so much that she wants to "grow up". she wants to be the legal age, so that she can be free.

i apologize for ranting, i have been up for six hours working on a paper and this is more of an emotional issue for me than it is just an obstacle. i worry for her. they've transferred her and her belongings to her grandmothers because they cant stand looking at her really, i guess they dont want her to be a bad influence on her younger siblings. same rules. no way to contact her as of yet.

 

[Proserpina]

Oh, I'm sorry, she has enough money to efficiently support herself until she is eighteen, and then a month later she will able to attend and board a college. she's works for espn radio minimum wage, nothing fancy. About five thousand dollars in savings. she worked three jobs last semester while going to school because she didn't want to be at home. she's quit the other two in time.

It's really just the principle. They are taking away her opportunities. They may put her boyfriend in jail for up to a year and put his name on a list of sexual harrassers for life if they file for statutory rape which i believe is completely ridiculous considering it has been consented and continues to be during these three years. It's not as if he's several years older, they met in highschool together. No, it wouldn't be the end of the world if she didn't get this summer job, or did not get into college next semester. But being punished for not having Christian values at such a level as your parents? being punished to this extreme? getting called a whore every day by her parents, then being practically trapped in that house with no place to go, and literally no contact with the outside world, unless she walks to my house half an hour away (which by the way, would be considered running away). it sucks. I'm fortunate my mom sides with me. i wouldn't know how to handle myself if all i did was remain loyal to one boy for three years and my parents found out we had sex and then practically set my life on fire. she was grounded like this for a year and a half when she was fifteen, and almost tried to commit suicide because at the time freedom was three years away. as i had said before, they disontinued her public schooling, they still havent given her a diploma for her finishing in a homeschooled level which could really provide some potential problems if they want to turn around and say she never did her work and doesn't deserve it.

it's not so much that she wants to "grow up". she wants to be the legal age, so that she can be free.

i apologize for ranting, i have been up for six hours working on a paper and this is more of an emotional issue for me than it is just an obstacle. i worry for her. they've transferred her and her belongings to her grandmothers because they cant stand looking at her really, i guess they dont want her to be a bad influence on her younger siblings. same rules. no way to contact her as of yet.

Thanks for writing.

 

[army judge]

Oh, I'm sorry, she has enough money to efficiently support herself until she is eighteen, and then a month later she will able to attend and board a college. she's works for espn radio minimum wage, nothing fancy. About five thousand dollars in savings. she worked three jobs last semester while going to school because she didn't want to be at home. she's quit the
other two in time.

It's really just the principle. They are taking away her opportunities. They may put her boyfriend in jail for up to a year and put his name on a list of sexual harrassers for life if they file for statutory rape which i believe is


completely ridiculous considering it has been consented and continues to be during these three years. It's not as if he's several years older, they met in highschool together. No, it wouldn't be the end of the world if she didn't get this summer job, or did not get into college next semester. But being punished for not having Christian values at such a level as your parents? being punished to this extreme?

getting called a whore every day by her parents, then being practically trapped in that house with no place to go, and literally no contact with the outside world, unless she walks to my house half an hour away (which by the way, would be considered running away). it sucks. I'm fortunate my mom sides with me. i wouldn't know how to handle myself if all i did was remain loyal to one boy for three
years and my parents found out we had sex and then practically set my life on fire. she was grounded like this for a year and a half when she was fifteen, and almost tried to commit suicide because at the time freedom was three years away. as i had said before, they disontinued her public schooling, they still havent given her a diploma for her finishing in a homeschooled level which could really provide some potential problems if they want to turn
around and say she never did her work and doesn't deserve it.

it's not so much that she wants to "grow up". she wants to be the legal age, so that she can be free.

i apologize for ranting, i have been up for six hours working on a paper and this is more of an emotional issue
for me than it is just an obstacle. i worry for her. they've transferred her and her belongings to her grandmothers because they cant stand looking at her really, i guess they dont want her to be a bad influence on her younger siblings. same rules. no way to contact her as of yet.

No, no, no, you're not telling the truth, Bro'.

She doesn't want to be the legal age, YOU want her to be the legal age for you to ravish.

Dude, ain't you got a couple of hands?

What?

Think about it, bro'!



Stop, bro', just stop.

Dude, you're making trouble for yourself and for her.

Age does matter.





It may not matter to you, but it matters to the law.

I'm not saying I agree with it, or disagree with it; its the damn law, dude.





We're talking about your freedom, future, and protecting your "back door", Slick.




You're buying yourself more trouble than you need.

That sexual offender's registry is no joke.


They put that dadgum red "X" by your name for the rest of your life!

That means you can't get a decent job, no credit, and sometimes no place to live!!!!



You've got to stop and leave this child alone.

If you don't, someone in a VA state penitentiary will be doing to YOU, what you seem bound and determined to keep doing to HER!

Ya' feel me, Slick?

It don't matter, Coolio, not to me anyway.

But it'll damn sure matter to you when Big Bubba, Freaky Freddie, Long Time Larry has you "satisfying" some rather "unusual" needs of theirs every night.

Chill, Bill, leave that underage "jail bait" alone.

If you don't, if you can't, if ya' just gotta have "it"; think about Big Bubba, Freaky Freddy, Crazy Cheddar, Dickie the Dick, or any other one of those "unusual" sounding names that have to satisfy their "unusual" needs!

 

[gigglibox]

are you high army judge? i hope you realize i find all of that very offensive since i am a seventeen year old female. i am not the sick "dude" you seem to think i am. i actually am concerned about the lifestyle my best friend is being forced to live through. i have no idea whats going on through your mind right now but youre quite agitating and it's not your place to talk to me like that. my name is not bro. or dude. it's megan. i'm looking for LEGAL advice in a forum in theLAW.com. not your vulgar piece of mind. back off.

 

[Proserpina]

Megan, what AJ is trying to get across - since we're apparently not hitting the mark no matter how we phrase it - is that the law is the law.

If a minor under the age of consent is having sex it CANNOT BE CONSENSUAL.

Do you understand?

And from what you've said - your friend is nowhere near mature enough to even think of living alone.