What are the Texas child emancipation laws?


Quick Answer

In Texas, emancipation laws allow minors to become emancipated if they are entering into marriage, if they are joining the military, or if a minor requests emancipation and a court grants the request. The legal age of majority in Texas is 18.

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Full Answer

Regarding emancipation due to marriage, the legal age in Texas for an individual to marry is 18. However, with parental consent, someone who is at least 15 years old can get married. When parents allow their minor child to get married, the child is emancipated because the responsibility of the child lies with the spouse and no longer with the parent.

If a child wants to enter the military, he can do so at the age of 18, or he can do so if the parents grant permission for the child to enter the military. By entering the military, the child becomes independent of his parents and is legally emancipated.

Finally, a child can become emancipated at the minor's request. The minor needs to prove to the court that he is able to fully support himself if he goes out on his own. This can be a difficult thing for a minor to do, so he needs to show substantiating proof that the court deems enough to grant emancipation. One of the reason's why a child isn't considered an adult until he reaches the age of 18 is because a child under the age of 18 cannot enter into contracts, which means he cannot obtain a car loan, sign a rental agreement, or open a bank account without a parent's signature.

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