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Can my best friends guardians adopt me?
Anonymous2 views2 answers
I am 14 years old and my mother always yells at me and she is mean to me only, her boyfriend(who we live with) treats his real daughter like a princess and the other two kids so nicely. But he is mean to me just like my mother. My mom is always telling me she is okay with me going to foster care but she never takes me there then the next morning she acts like everything is fine. I talk to my teachers about it and they think I have depression. I used to cut myself but a few counselors helped me with it. I found that drawing helps me, but not anymore. I have no reason to wake up in the morning....... except the fact that I am going to get yelled at for not cleaning dog pee, not cleaning the living room, the bathrooms dirty, before I even am fully awake. I really want to move in with my best friend and she helps me through hard time. Is it possible?
Very tricky question. Each State will have their own approach to some of these matters so you need to look at the law in your State. However, the usual rule in these kind of adoptions is that you can be adopted by another person if your parents both agree. That includes your father. If you are unhappy and your mother agrees, you can go live with your father. It is not likely that you can be adopted if you mother will not consent but there is a process in many States that allows the potential adoptive parents to file a lawsuit and have the Court determine whether or not the adoption will be permitted. It can be expensive and the odds are not in your favor but you can try.
I agree with attorney Couture. Your best friend's guardians have to file a petition for adoption at the Columbia Circuit court and serve that petition copies to your parents. The court will give ample opportunities to hear both sides. There would be a formal home study of your guardians' home by DSS. Then the Court decides on adoption.
I would like to suggest teen counseling and therapy and getting a work permit at 14 or 15 so you meet people outside the home. Your part-time work would help to alleviate the tensions at home. Good luck.
