Legal Question in Family Law in New York

Re: 15 year olds

There are a number of responses to this question and all of them begin with; "no, the child may not and the parents may take any number of actions".

1. The parent may file a PINS and have the court order the child returned to the home or even go straight to juvenile hall.

2. The parent may act against the neighbor in a criminal complaint.

Legally, a 15 year old is referred to as a 'child' and has none of the rights of an adult. The child does not have the right to work full-time, leave school, or reside outside the home.

In the absence of physical abuse of the child, moving out into a friend's home is not normal or, without the permission of the parent, legal.