How can a child be emancipated?
A. Generally, parents are obligated to care for their children until they reach age 18. Emancipation is a term used quite often as a panacea for situations of parent/child conflict. Emancipation simply allows someone under the age of 18 to: hold property; enter into contracts; and to sue and be sued. Emancipation does not necessarily relieve a parent of their obligation to provide for their child until age 18. To be emancipated, a petition is filed in District Court. At hearing, a judge would have to determine that the juvenile has the ability to enter into contracts and is responsible and mature enough to be treated as an adult by the outside world.
