Have a question on legal issues?

You can ask a lawyer to help you get emancipated.

Depending on where you live, there may be county agencies or services that could offer you free legal counsel. You might also see if there’s a runaways hot line (even before you run away; if there is one, they should have all kinds of referrals), or an abuse resource, or even mental health services.

Start anyplace: your county website, county hospital, even police non-emergency. Look at the bulletin board and handouts at your nearest public library. Walk into city hall and ask questions. There are sure to be resources of some kind for people in your situation—you just have to find them. It could take several steps, but one step leads to another.

If you have a sort-of record, you must have contact with some kind of juvenile authority, social worker, case worker, or something. Ask them. You won’t be the first young person who wanted to get out of the house and needed help.

So, I got in trouble for shoplifting. They pressed charges, but I haven’t gone to court yet and it’s been almost two years.