Granting Legal Independence

The term "emancipation" refers to the release of legal responsbility for another person. In family court, emancipation is a legal process where a minor is released from parental control and the parents relinquish any legal responsibility for the child.

This is most common in cases where the child has moved out of the parents' home and has become financially independent however, it can also occur when a minor marries or joins a branch of the military.

Emancipation can result from a mutual agreement between the parents and the child or it can be ordered by the court, in spite of the parents' objections if the child can show that they are no longer reliant on the parents for support. Emancipation also occurs when the child reaches the age of majority (usually 18) unless the parents can show that the child is mentally unfit to care for himself / herself.

Should emancipation be granted, the parents are no longer responsible for the child's care and well-being and have no authority over the child's decisions, finances or property.