Parents Rights with children under age of 18

[burkett]

My son is 16 (will be 17 soon), he told me his girlfriend whom is 17 (soon to be 18) is pregnant, I have confirmed this. I am looking for information on what my legal rights are as his parent. Can I require him to continue to live with his parents until he turns 18/21? Can I apply for joint custody of this baby on behalf of my son? Can he be held responsible for child support at age 17 - 18? Will I as his parent be obligated to pay child support for his baby? Do I have any rights as a parent that can be enforced by the police if necessary with regards to making rules (curfew, who he spends time with, requiring his to stay in school) ?????? I have spoke with the police and they tell me to kick him out of the house. I do not think it would be in his best interest to "kick him out". The police have told me that because he is 16 I have no control over where he goes and what he does. I can not imagine that a child under age 18 can come and go as they please. I need to know what rights I have as a parent to protect my son and make decisions for him that I do not feel he is mature enough to make for himself. Please help

 

[Duranie]

He likely is going to be told to pay some sort of child support so he should be looking for a part time job now that he has a child to support. You should not be told to pay anything. When your son is 18 he can move out, pregnancy does not emancipate him unless him and this girl get married.

The police are wrong if they are telling you he can do whatever he wants.

If your son is totally out of control you might want to call Social Services to see if they can give you any advice. Your son has alot of growing up to do now that he is going to be a father.

 

[burkett]

16 is the law the police use

Well, my 16 year old son moved out tonight into a house with his 17 year old girlfriend and her nut case mother. I spoke with the state and local police and they told me there is nothing I can do even though there is a petition for an order of protection in process for this girl to stay away from my son! All I can hope for now is that these two crazy people do not harm my son before I can get a court order for guardianship.

 

[Duranie]

I am not as concerned for your son as I am the soon to be born baby.

 

[burkett]

I am just as concerned for this baby as for my son but the people in this town seem to think it is a good idea for teenagers to live on their own and try to raise children. By the way - thank you to Duranie because you were right about the age being 18 years in order to move out, I was finally able to get my son home again but I am not getting any help from the police, DA's office or probation dept. I feel like I am the only sane person in this town. For anyone else living in NY who runs into this problem here is alink to the new law ( http://www.geocities.com/prafac.geo/596Law.html ) and ( http://www.geocities.com/prafac.geo/page4.html ) On December 19, 2000 the governor signed the new law requiring children to be 18 in order to move out without parental consent. Thsi law went into effect on April 1, 2002.