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18 year olds don't get to sue. This kid is facing a problem faced by thousands of kids every year: Do I move out of the house and tell my parents to go eff themselves, or do I do what they say (no matter how awful) so they keep paying my bills? Making that choice sucks, but it's one that lots of people face. This kid did an impulsive thing by just leaving. She would have been smarter to bide her time, get to college (just a few months away), and then back away from her parents slowly.
Under 18: In Illinois, at least, kids under 18 (or their creditors) have the right to sue for support if their parents boot them. Parents are obligated to pay housing, food, and medical expenses until an unemancipated child turns 18, regardless of whether the kid is at home. (I'd have to look to see if clothing and tuition are also covered.) Or course, the parent would also have the right to drag the kid home, too.
In a case like this one, if the parents told the kid to leave, and the kid was under 18, the parents would be obligated to pay for her support until she turned 18. ( She could also legally sue to be emancipated, but I don't know what the court would do about support for a 16 or 17 year old that has been given adult legal status early. )
I'm comfortable with the 18 year old cut-off. At 18, you can join the Army or get another job. It's tough, but not the end of the world. My mom was married and the mother of a toddler when she was 18. My grandmother was helping run a farm and raising two kids at 18.
Last edited by KDCat; 03-07-2014 at 05:39 PM.
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