Legal Question in Family Law in Tennessee
How do I have myself legally declared an adult?
I am a seventeen year old female. I am graduated from highschool, and pretty much self sufficient. I have a job, and have had for a year. I am wanting to get married. My boyfriend is twenty four, and we would be able to support ourselves without assistance from anyone else. He has a job, and is going to college. My parents have refused to sign for me to be married, and I have been trying to look into having myself "emancipated" so that I can be declared an adultl, so I can get married. I can't find any information for laws in Tennessee, and would appreciate any help.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: How do I have myself legally declared an adult?
Under Tennessee law there are a couple of different approaches you can take.
You can either petition court for permision to get married without parental consent, OR you could petition court to be emancipated and to be declared an adult for purposes of determining where you will live and for entering into contracts and for the purpose of being free to keep your own earnings without your parents taking your earnings from you.
It might be easier to petition the court for permission to get married (because most judges are going to be reluctant to emancipate you to go live with your 24 year old boyfriend... since each time you two have sex your boyfriend is committing statutory rape and could be sent to prison for it), but either way your parents would also be able to address the court to explain why they oppose the idea.
Contact a local attorney to help you with this, because the way in which you approach the court can make a big differnce... and if you and your boyfriend don't watch out he could well end up charged AND convicted of either statutory rape or contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
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