My 16 year old sister in law wants to leave home due circumstances at home, we live in Texas can she leave without consent?

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by Grant St. Jullian III

August 17, 2016

Asked 8/11/2016 – Copperas Cove, TX

My sister in law doesn’t want to live at home any more due to the circumstances at the house with her mother, I was told that she could but at the same time told we could get charged with keeping a runaway, my question is she wants to live in NY with her grandparents but how do we go about doing this so no one gets into trouble? I am going up to visit a few days after school starts and she wants to go with us to NY. What should I do?

Answer

Your sister-in-law must wait until she is 18 before she can move from the home without parental consent. If she leaves, she would be subject to juvenile prosecution and anyone she lives with would be subject to criminal prosecution (See Texas Penal Code Section 25.06). There are certain defenses to this law, but counseling is probably less expensive legal fees. Talk to a professional about the mother/daughter issues.

About the author 

Grant St. Jullian III

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering – 1979 Univ. of Pennsylvania
Doctor of Jurisprudence 1982 University of Texas @ Austin
Licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas since 1982.

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