16 year old wants to live with her step mother

[kami87]

My friend and her husband are getting divorced and her step daughter wants to live with her or become emansipated.
the girl is 16 almost 17 and her father drinks and is abusive towards her. He didnt even want anything to do with her until he remarried and the wife insisted that he take responsibility because the girls mother was unfit and doing drugs etc. Her real mother is in prison and wont be out until the girl is 21. The father has custody of her. Can she( the girl) petition the courts to have custody changed? Or should she try to become emansipated? My friend is the only real mother this girl has ever had.
thanks

 

[jacksgal]

The girl herself can make no such petition. Step Mom could but its unlikely it would be granted. However since Dad didnt want her to begin with he may give consent for her to live with Step Mom. Now the Mother (in jail) could protest but she doesnt have much leverage where she is