Alabama – 19 Mississippi – 21 Nebraska – 19
California Colorado (if only one parent has legal custody) Florida (if only one parent has sole custody) Idaho Kansas (if you also get judicial consent) Maryland Montana (if only one parent has legal custody) Nevada Pennsylvania
Pregnancy of an under-aged bride Potential for abuse of the minor if parental consent is sought Other things about the well being of the individuals wishing to marry or their children
A legal adult A resident of the state In some states, the next friend must also be a relative of the minor petitioning the court
The next friend files the petition and schedules the hearing The minor (often with the next friend) appears in court, telling the judge why the judge should grant permission for the minor to marry without obtaining the consent of the parent(s) The judge makes the ruling, either granting or denying the request.
Both are judicial processes Parental notification is often required for emancipation, but not for judicial bypass In states that don’t automatically grant adult status to married persons, you may still need parental consent for certain activities.
Alabama California Colorado Connecticut Florida Hawaii Illinois Kansas Louisiana Massachusetts Michigan Montana Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico North Carolina Oregon Rhode Island South Dakota Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wyoming
The petition. The petition is your request to the court. It says why you meet the requirements of the law to become emancipated and asks the court to grant you an order declaring you emancipated. Service on the parents. In most states, you must notify your parents of this petition. Get a summons or citation from the clerk and have it served by the sheriff or other designated officer according to state law. If serving the parents is likely to cause a dangerous situation for the child, a judge can waive this requirement. Hearing. The court will schedule a hearing to gather facts and evidence, hearing from the child, the parents, and any witnesses. The court will then make its decision and issue the appropriate order.
