Legal Question in Juvenile Dependency in Massachusetts

i live in massachusetts and am sixteen. i left home to travel with my boyfriend and was caught, detained, and sent back to massachusetts where i am now waiting to find out if i will be put on chins. when i am seventeen since a chins can no longer be put on me if i leave again can i get sent home or get in legal trouble?


Asked on 4/05/10, 8:43 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Dominic Pang The Law Office of Dominic L. Pang

A CHINS can be filed on a 17 year old. The statute was changed in 2008: "Child in need of services'', a child between the ages of 6 and 17 who: (a) repeatedly runs away from the home of a parent or legal guardian; (b) repeatedly fails to obey the lawful and reasonable commands of a parent or legal guardian, thereby interfering with the parent's or legal guardian's ability to adequately care for and protect the child...". So, if you leave home, even if 17, a CHINS runaway warrant can be issued and the police can arrest you on the warrant and you can be brought back home.

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Answered on 4/15/10, 4:53 pm


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