Unruly 17 year old

[Christina39T]

Jurisdiction

Georgia

Hi, I am a mother of a very defiant 17 year old, and my question is can I petition for him to be emancipated. I have tried all that I can besides kill him which I wasn't planning or will ever do. We currently have a therapist visit twice a week as court ordered. No matter the approach I take to thwart his defiance, nothing is working. He curses me, punches dressers/walls, continues to violate probation orders, and does not feel as though he has to listen or follow house rules. Substance abuse seems to be an issue as well, and his 15 year old sister is exposed to his actions. What do you do at this point? What options as a parent do I have? The only lessons he is capable of learning now are from life.

 

[adjusterjack]

No, you can't have him emancipated. Apparently, he's on probation for some offense (you haven't explained) and violating the probation requirements. You have the option of going to court and having him adjudicated as an "unruly" child. That's Georgia's word for "incorrigible." Then the authorities take him and could put him in a juvenile detention facility.

Read the following guide:

http://children.georgia.gov/sites/c...176361979DSO-Georgia Code and Federal Law.pdf

The cited statutes can be read at the following links:

2010 Georgia Code :: TITLE 15 - COURTS :: CHAPTER 11 - JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS :: ARTICLE 1 - JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS :: PART 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS :: § 15-11-2 - Definitions

2010 Georgia Code :: TITLE 15 - COURTS :: CHAPTER 11 - JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS :: ARTICLE 1 - JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS :: PART 5 - ARREST AND DETENTION

 

[cbg]

The state of Georgia, about ten years ago, quite deliberately changed the existing law to make it almost impossible for a minor to be emancipated. However, even before that took place, your son would not have qualified. Emancipation is intended to be the means to give legal protections to a minor who, through reasons outside their own control, found themselves living alone. It was not and is not intended to be a means to either relieve a parent of responsibility, or to liberate the minor from parental authority.

 

[ElleMD]

Boarding school for troubled youths seems like a good option and one that should probably have been explored before now. He is less than a year away from being a legal adult with legal adult consequences. Even now, for certain offenses he can be charged as an adult. You need to get this under control while you still can. Washing your hands of him and leaving him to his own devices is not only not an option, but irresponsible.

 

[Christina39T]

No, you can't have him emancipated. Apparently, he's on probation for some offense (you haven't explained) and violating the probation requirements. You have the option of going to court and having him adjudicated as an "unruly" child. That's Georgia's word for "incorrigible." Then the authorities take him and could put him in a juvenile detention facility.

Read the following guide:

http://children.georgia.gov/sites/children.georgia.gov/files/imported/vgn/images/portal/cit_1210/26/53/176361979DSO-Georgia Code and Federal Law.pdf

The cited statutes can be read at the following links:

2010 Georgia Code :: TITLE 15 - COURTS :: CHAPTER 11 - JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS :: ARTICLE 1 - JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS :: PART 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS :: § 15-11-2 - Definitions

2010 Georgia Code :: TITLE 15 - COURTS :: CHAPTER 11 - JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS :: ARTICLE 1 - JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS :: PART 5 - ARREST AND DETENTION

My son is on probation because I filed a complaint back in May when he decided he was not going to accept the consequences of his actions. His actions were staying out past midnight and substance abuse. The next day I asked him to help his nana with some outside work, and he flat out refused which was not in his character, I insisted he do what he is told but this lead to an argument. He then started using the wall as a punching bag and his older sister told him that he needed to stop and it escalated from there he busted a china cabinet and tried choking his sister so I called the sheriff out and filed a complaint.

The judge placed him on probation with therapy for the anger. We since moved and he has found a new group of friends. I have complied with all requests of the therapist to help him. His probation officer has put him on curfew and suspended his curfew meaning he can only go home and school. His 30 days were up and he was given a new curfew because for the 4th drug test he tested positive for THC. Now, during therapy he gets up and walks off starts singing loud, making all kinds of distracting noises.

This is my third of four children. So, the oldest two are independent and doing well. I am not shunning my responsibility and never have. I am just at ends.

 

[army judge]

My son is on probation because I filed a complaint back in May when he decided he was not going to accept the consequences of his actions. His actions were staying out past midnight and substance abuse. The next day I asked him to help his nana with some outside work, and he flat out refused which was not in his character, I insisted he do what he is told but this lead to an argument. He then started using the wall as a punching bag and his older sister told him that he needed to stop and it escalated from there he busted a china cabinet and tried choking his sister so I called the sheriff out and filed a complaint.

The judge placed him on probation with therapy for the anger. We since moved and he has found a new group of friends. I have complied with all requests of the therapist to help him. His probation officer has put him on curfew and suspended his curfew meaning he can only go home and school. His 30 days were up and he was given a new curfew because for the 4th drug test he tested positive for THC. Now, during therapy he gets up and walks off starts singing loud, making all kinds of distracting noises.

This is my third of four children. So, the oldest two are independent and doing well. I am not shunning my responsibility and never have. I am just at ends.

I've learned that as a parent you emulate a ship's captain with "steady as she goes"!

You're in a very difficult spot, madam.

Drug abuse and mental health issues are destroying children and adults.

Have you considered in-patient rehab for your son?
If not, look into a 90-120 (or longer) program.
Discuss your options with your son's probation officer.
Talk to a couple psychiatrists.
Hang in there, keep being a mom. He needs you, even if he doesn't know it.

 

[Christina39T]

I've learned that as a parent you emulate a ship's captain with "steady as she goes"!

You're in a very difficult spot, madam.

Drug abuse and mental health issues are destroying children and adults.

Have you considered in-patient rehab for your son?
If not, look into a 90-120 (or longer) program.
Discuss your options with your son's probation officer.
Talk to a couple psychiatrists.
Hang in there, keep being a mom. He needs you, even if he doesn't know it.

Thank you I'm trying.

The program from what I was told has been "phased out" since last year. I'm still evaluating all options.