Texas community resource
Teen Independence and Emancipation Legal Information Guide
Texas State Law Library
Public guide to Texas age-of-adulthood rules, removal of disabilities of minority, emancipation, runaways, and related assistance resources.
Information last checked:
How to get help
Review the guide and current Texas Family Code, speak with a qualified attorney or youth legal service, and confirm petition, venue, filing, service, evidence, and hearing requirements with the proper court. For immediate safety, abuse, trafficking, or homelessness, contact an appropriate emergency or youth-protection resource.
Who this service helps
Open to the public for research; court-ordered emancipation has statutory age, residence, living, self-support, management, evidence, and best-interest requirements, and not every minor qualifies.
Where this service is available
Service area: Texas minors, parents, caregivers, and others researching age of majority, emancipation, or runaway law, including residents of Central Texas.
A service area describes where help is offered or who may be served. It is not necessarily the organization’s physical location.
Cost / fees
The online guide is free to use; court filing, service, records, transportation, housing, and legal-service costs may apply.
About this service
The guide links Texas statutes and plain-language information about when a person is legally an adult, when a qualifying minor may ask a court to be treated as an adult for specified decisions, and legal issues when a minor leaves home.
Other resources that may help
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