The same legal issues that snag adults can just as easily snag minors. But answers and solutions might be different simply because of the age factor. If you are an adult seeking expungment of a criminal record, being a minor at the time of the offense could bear on the expungment remedy available. Working a job when you are a minor has special limitations and caveats. You might earn a paycheck, but your tax obligations may boil down to whether or not someone else claims you as a dependent.
In Minnesota you are an adult if you are eighteen years old, but where do you stand if you are under 18 and on your own? For instance, do you always need parental consent for medical treatment? If you are living on your own you may be able to consent to your own treatments. If you have been married or have given birth, you may also consent to treatments for you or for that of your minor child, plus you are responsible for the payments of such. See this brochure from www.mncasa.org for more information about minors and medical treatments.
Are you are a minor but don’t want to (or cannot safely) stay with your parents? You may have other options. Are your parents willing to let someone else take on the authority of being your parent? A Delegation of Parental Authority might be the answer. If you feel you have been abused, you may file for an Order of Protection. If you believe the circumstances are such that you feel you should be able to live independently and make your own decisions, see about emancipation.
If you are a minor and have run away from home, can your parents force you to come back? Probably, because you can’t legally live away from home except in cases of consent, marriage, enlistment, or having a court order to do so. You might also consider the online resources available through the Children’s Law Center. Even though their mission is providing legal representation to foster children, wards of the state, or kids who have been removed from their homes, their publications are a great place to start. For instance, their Resources for Youth Experiencing Homelessness is a comprehensive list of organizations that can offer assistance to homeless youth. For legal information, also consider the huge Homeless Youth Handbook with its extensive coverage of numerous issues.
If you still have questions consider consulting a lawyer.
