Can an emancipated minor adopt a child?

Question

I'm getting emancipated, and I have a child (who's not my birth child, but I've raised him all his life) that I either want to adopt or get custody of in my own name. Is this possible? If not, is there other solutions?

Answer 1

I doubt it. When you get emancipated you are legally able to care for yourself. But you must still follow the rest of legal rules like no drinking till 21.  Most states say you can't adopt til 21 maybe 18 in some states.  The parents could let you raise him but you would have no legal rights and couldn't get medical care or coverage or enroll the child in school or daycare. and how do you pay for daycare?

Answer 2

EMANCIPATION AND THE LEGAL RIGHTS OF MINORS

Emancipation ends the parents' rights to control his or her minor child or to ... a minor emancipated status when s/he is convinced that emancipation is clearly ...

www.clcm.org/minors_rights.htm - 35k - Cached

42-4-402. Who may adopt adult or emancipated minor.

... any age must comply with all requirements set by law for the adoption of a child. (2) An individual who has adopted an adult or emancipated minor may not adopt ...

data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca/42/4/42... - 2k - Cached

GS_50-13.4

... of minor child. ... minor parent reaches the age of 18 or becomes emancipated. ... enforcement of support of minor children shall be available as ...

ncga.state.nc.us/.../HTML/BySection/Ch... - 23k - Cached

emancipation

... best interest of an emancipated minor=s child to waive the living arrangement rules. ... of the minor=s children, if emancipation is found to be in a minor=s best ...

www.clasp.org/publications/emancipated... - 11k - Cached

Emancipation of Minors

Parents are not required to support their emancipated children. ... law fails to give specific rules to decide if a minor child is emancipated. ...

www.nwls.org/emancipation_of_minors.ht... - 23k - Cached

How Can a Child Become Emancipated from Her Parents?

Under many child labor laws, these talented children must allow an adult to ... a legal marriage has been registered, legal emancipation of a minor soon follows. ...

wisegeek.com/how-can-a-child-become-em... - 26k - Cached

Adoption - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

... adopting family anything beyond minor legal or other types of ... child is your own child or one of your own children implies that an adopted child is not. ...

Quick Links: Types of adoption (by effect on the parties involved) - Open adoption

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoption - 149k - Cached

Child Abuse Reporting in Family Planning Settings(PDF)

Minor Consent, Confidentiality, and Child Abuse Reporting ... Emancipated Minors: ... Emancipation: ...

youthlaw.org/.../publications/minor_co... - 197k - View as html

The Vermont Statutes Online

An adult may adopt another adult or an emancipated minor pursuant to this ... child of the prospective adoptive parent, including a child previously adopted ...

www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/fullchapt... - 9k - Cached

Oregon Emancipation of Minor Law Law Summary and Law Digest

... natural parent or adoptive parent if the minor has been legally adopted. ... and criminal rights and civil and criminal liabilities of an emancipated minor. ...

lawdigest.uslegal.com/minors/emancipat... - 29k - Cached

Answer 3

The only way you can be sure is to check the laws in your state.  Every state has different laws.  Contact the Department of Children's Services (or the equivalent) in your area to get the information.  

For example, I live in California. The Family Code sections 8600-8602 state who may adopt.

8600. An unmarried minor may be adopted by an adult as provided in this part.

8601. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), a

prospective adoptive parent or parents shall be at least 10 years

older than the child.

(b) If the court is satisfied that the adoption of a child by a

stepparent, or by a sister, brother, aunt, uncle, or first cousin

and, if that person is married, by that person and that person's

spouse, is in the best interest of the parties and is in the public

interest, it may approve the adoption without regard to the ages of

the child and the prospective adoptive parent or parents.

8602. The consent of a child, if over the age of 12 years, is

necessary to the child's adoption.