Looking for family law lawyer to help D.C. family with emancipation or state guardianship of teen

[Anonymous]

Not to go into many details but we're D.C residents and would like to talk with a lawyer about options for our teen who no longer enjoys living with us enough to respect the rest of his family sufficiently. I understand emancipation is one option, and petitioning the government to take guardianship is another option, but I don't know.

Thank you for any names.

[Anonymous]

I think the emancipation of minors is generally done when the MINOR child petitions the court to be removed from parental authority. (usually b/c of abuse by the parents).

You seem to be the parents and want to disconnect from your teen.

I don't think those are the same things.

This isn't definitive, but see p. 5.

http://www.publiccounsel.org/tools/publications/files/So-you-Want-to-Become-Emancipated.pdf

[Anonymous]

poor kid. Try a family counselor instead.

[Anonymous]

It is possible for the Dept. of Child Protective Services to petition for the end of parental rights if it is in the best interests of the child.

Seems like you would need to work with a social worker and DCPS to figure out the right path.

https://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/titles/16/chapters/23/subchapters/III/

[Anonymous]

Wow. Poor kid.

[Anonymous]

That poor kid.

What about boarding school for high school?

If this is about substance abuse, send the kid to treatment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not to go into many details but we're D.C residents and would like to talk with a lawyer about options for our teen who no longer enjoys living with us enough to respect the rest of his family sufficiently. I understand emancipation is one option, and petitioning the government to take guardianship is another option, but I don't know.

Thank you for any names.

You want to ask the courts to send your teenager to foster care?

[Anonymous]

Only the minor themselves can file for emancipation. A petition for the government to take guardianship would require a finding that you are unfit parents, which might jeopardize your parental rights with respect to any other children you might have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Poor kid.

Not OP, but not always poor kid. I've heard of some pretty horrific behavior on the part of teens that can make them a nightmare and unsafe to live with. If the teen is a safety threat to younger siblings has become physically and verbally abusive to parents engages in criminal activity that puts the family in legal and financial jeopardy...
There is a world of difference between that and refusing to do homework or having an untreated issue that would get better with help.

[Anonymous]

Have you looked at therapeutic boarding schools? There are also wilderness program, although those can be quite harsh, so very last resort, IMO.

[Anonymous]

Don't you have a relative you can send him to? You can't just abandon your minor child. Is this even your biological child?

[Anonymous]

Boarding school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not to go into many details but we're D.C residents and would like to talk with a lawyer about options for our teen who no longer enjoys living with us enough to respect the rest of his family sufficiently. I understand emancipation is one option, and petitioning the government to take guardianship is another option, but I don't know.

Thank you for any names.

How old is your child? Where do they want to go?

[Anonymous]

My in laws did this to get needed rehab for their teenage son after their insurance options and family savings were exhausted. The surrendered custody of him to the state. It was painful but necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Boarding school.

Why do so many Americans seem to regard boarding school as a punishment? It's certainly not in the UK or Europe. It's a privilege.