If you are a minor who is toying with the idea of emancipation, then it is good to know both sides of the coin. You probably know that emancipation gives you the right to carry out adult tasks such as suing someone in your name, making a will, living wherever you please and even getting a work permit. However, there are still some adult privileges that you will still be denied such as:
Engaging in Sexual Relations
Adults are free to have consensual sexual relations with other adults. As an emancipated minor, however, you are not allowed to have sex unless you are married. If you are not married, and you do have sex, then you may be charged with statutory rape. This will be the case regardless of whether the other person is an adult or a minor. Of course, this depends on the age of consent in your state, which usually varies from 16 to 18 years.
Dropping Out of School
Just like other children, an emancipated minor does not have the right to drop out of school. You must stay in school in accordance with your state's compulsory education laws. For many states, this means that you must stay in school until you reach a certain age. There may be a few exceptions and variations depending on your state. For example, such exceptions may allow you to be homeschooled, but the general idea is that you must adhere to your state's laws.
Drinking Alcohol
Just like you can't drop out of school, you can't start taking alcohol even if you are emancipated. Your state's drinking laws still apply, which in most states mean that you must wait until you are at least 21 years old. Alternatively, you can only drink alcohol if you qualify for an exception listed in your state's laws. For example, some states allow underage drinking.
Working for As Many Hours As You Want
Most emancipated minors have jobs that give them financial independence. As such, many of them have to work, but this doesn't mean that you can work as long as you want even if you are emancipated. Therefore, you must research and respect your state's child labor laws even after emancipation.
As you can see, emancipation does not give you a carte blanche to act as you please or be exactly like an adult; there are still things you can't do. If there is a specific reason you want to be emancipated, then it is a good idea to consult a lawyer like The Law Offices of Paul F. Moore II first and understand whether it would be worth it.
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