Other Family Issues

questions & answers

Question: My daughtger 15 Family freind 21: trying to date,trying to be ingaged, her threatening to run away/move out. What are my rights to her and what she can and cabnt do?

Answer:

In Arizona, a 15-year-old can’t get married without their parents’ permission. The Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) Section 25-102 requires the consent of the custodial parent in order for a child under the age of 18 to marry. Additionally, if the child is under 16, the child must get the permission of a Superior Court judge within the state of Arizona – not just a justice of the peace. The Superior Court judge will not authorize the marriage unless the requirements set forth in A.R.S § 25-102 are met.

Secondly,  A.R.S. § 8-201, Paragraph 16 states that a child who refuses to obey reasonable and proper orders of a parent, or who is a runaway is an incorrigible child. An incorrigible child is one that is subject to punishment by the juvenile court system. The Arizona Rules of Procedure for the Juvenile Court Rule No. 22 states that after a report is made, a county prosecutor will make a decision whether or not to press charges.

A child over the age of 16, who can independently manage his or her own financial, social, and health affairs may petition a court for emancipation. This is basically an order from the court stating that she has most of the same rights as an adult. A court does not have to grant it (and in fact, very rarely does), and parents are given an opportunity to respond and contest the emancipation. Our sister site, LawForKids.org, has a good summary of laws regarding emancipation.