History Main / EmancipatedChild

[[folder:Film]]

* Angelica "divorced" her parents in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', but it was AllJustADream.

* In ''WesternAnimation/LittleElvisJonesAndTheTruckstoppers'' there is an episode where all the children in the town take their parents to court. Interestingly, it's played slightly (emphasis on slightly) more realistic in that the big bad of the series encourages them and supports their case in order to get custody of Lil Elvis.

* A VictimOfTheWeek in ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' is an actress, who turns out to be an emancipated minor now married to her manager. The dialogue implies that she bribed her parents to keep them from contesting the emancipation.

* In the post-apocalyptic short story ''The Big Space Fuck'', children are given the right to sue their parents over absolutely everything, as a way to discourage breeding. The protagonist and his wife are presented with a court summons from their estranged daughter, who recently got arrested for bank robbery and needed to make it out that they'd ruined her life to avoid going to jail. They (and the sheriff presenting the summons) are promptly eaten by mutant lampreys instead.

* Claudia Conway, teenage daughter of former Trump staffer Kellyanne Conway, made news when she demanded legal emancipation from her parents due to alleged emotional abuse. The news lead to Conway resigning from Trump's team few months before the 2020 election.

[[folder: Fan Fiction]]
* Used in ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3703685/1/Family Family]]'' by Middle Warner Sibling to explain how the Warners came to live on the studio lot. Yakko signed a contract with Warner Bros Studios that allowed them to seek legal action on his behalf to revoke the Warners' incarcerated father's parental rights and give them to Yakko. The studio provides the living space (the water tower) but Yakko has to manage the family's accounts and bills, make sure Wakko and Dot go to school and other such necessities. It's notable in that the story shows how draining all this can be on Yakko, who himself is only a young teenager, and how many mistakes he makes trying to do the job of an adult. Fortunately, he does have a lot of adult friends who are willing to offer him advice and ease his pressure, so the story is prevented from becoming a disaster.

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* In the ''Ravage'' book of the ''ComicBook/{{Marvel 2099}}'' line it's mentioned that kids have legal rights over their parents, and are expected to receive certain benefits such as parents being polite to their friends. The main character Jean Paul-Philippe divorced his dad, but the two reconcile during the story.
* During the ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' storyline "Alpha", the titular hero-in-training uses his clout to "divorce" his parents partially to protect them and partially because they crimp his style. When Spidey takes away (most) of his powers, he's forced to come back home as part of his punishment.

* Used in ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3703685/1/Family Family]]'' by Middle Warner Sibling to explain how the Warners came to live on the studio lot. Yakko signed a contract with Warner Bros Studios that allowed them to seek legal action on his behalf to revoke the Warner's incarcerated father's parental rights and give them to Yakko. The studio provides the living space (the water tower) but Yakko has to manage the family's accounts and bills, make sure Wakko and Dot go to school and other such necessities. It's notable in that the story shows how draining all this can be on Yakko, who himself is only a young teenager, and how many mistakes he makes trying to do the job of an adult. Fortunately, he does have a lot of adult friends who are willing to offer him advice and ease his pressure, so the story is prevented from becoming a disaster.

* The plot of ''Literature/MySistersKeeper'' revolves around a girl trying to get medically emancipated so she would not be required to give up one of her kidneys.

[[/folder]]
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It's a dream many children have had from time to time, the idea that they could take their parents to court and "Divorce" them. Then, free from the tyranny of bedtimes and green vegetables they would be able to live their lives properly and have all that fun their parents have been denying them! So they go find a law firm willing to take their case and after the court proceedings the child is an independent entity, with no ties to former family.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Fan Fiction]]

* Used in ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3703685/1/Family Family]]'' by Middle Warner Sibling to explain how the Warners came to live on the studio lot. Yakko signed a contract with Warner Bros Studios that allowed them to seek legal action on his behalf to revoke the Warner's incarcerated father's parental rights and give them to Yakko. The studio provides the living space (the water tower) but Yakko has to manage the family's accounts and bills, make sure Wakko and Dot go to school, and other such necessities. Its notable in that the story shows how draining all this can be on Yakko, who himself is only a young teenager, and how many mistakes he makes trying to do the job of an adult. Fortunately he does have a lot of adult friends who are willing to offer him advice and ease his pressure, so the story is prevented from becoming a disaster.

[[/folder]]
[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* Subverted in an episode of ''Series/{{House}}'', a fifteen-year-old girl claims to have gotten emancipation but in reality she stole someone's identity and forged the necessary papers.

* The ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode "It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester" has an emancipated teen. Or rather, a centuries old witch who disguises herself as an emancipated teen.

[[folder: Webcomics]]

* In ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive'', 17 year old Helen from ''Webcomic/PennyAndAggie'' used her dad's money to hire a lawyer to serve him emancipation papers, resulting in her being emancipated within the week. Nancy, [[http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp08092010.shtml telling this story to Davan]], doesn't understand how that could possibly have worked.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* In the post-apocalyptic short story ''The Big Space Fuck'' ([[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer I S W E A R that's its real name]]), children are given the right to sue their parents over absolutely everything, as a way to discourage breeding. The protagonist and his wife are presented with a court summons from their estranged daughter, who recently got arrested for bank robbery and needed to make it out that they'd ruined her life to avoid going to jail. They (and the sheriff presenting the summons) are promptly eaten by mutant lampreys instead.

This is technically allowed under most legal systems, but it's a lot harder than TV will imply. Most courts will only allow it under two circumstances: one, for married minors (but [[MortonsFork minors who want to marry in the US normally need parental consent anyway nowadays]]), and two, for adolescents where there are truly no other good options and who have attained self-sufficiency (meaning that they are capable of supporting themselves through legal means for the foreseeable future and are not likely to go on welfare).

* In the post-apocalyptic short story ''The Big Space Fuck'' ([[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer I S W E A R that's its real name]]), children are given the right to sue their parents over absolutely everything, as a way to discourage breeding. The protagonist and his wife are presented with a court summons from their estranged daughter, who recently got arrested for bank robbery and needed to make it out that they'd ruined her life to avoid going to jail. They (and the sherrif presenting the summons) are promptly eaten by mutant lampreys instead.

* Reece did this in an episode of ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle''.

* Naturally, ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' has used this as a plot. Bart, finally tired of Homer's crappy parenting and neglect, gets himself emancipated, with his income coming from Homer's garnished wages intended to pay back money he stole from Bart's brief career acting in commercials as a baby. The judge even says she would never emancipate a ten year old, except in this case of blatant abuse and neglect she'll allow it.

* In ''WesternAnimation/LittleElvisJonesAndTheTruckstoppers'' there is an episode where all the children in the town take their parents to court. Interestingly, its played slightly (emphasis on slightly) more realistic in that the big bad of the series encourages them and supports their case in order to get custody of Lil Elvis.

* A VictimOfTheWeek in ''Series/LawAndOrder'' is a pop star, who turns out to be an emancipated minor now married to her manager. The dialogue implies that she bribed her parents to keep them from contesting the emancipation.

This is technically allowed under most legal systems, but it's a lot harder than TV will imply. Most courts will only allow it under two circumstances: one, for married minors (but [[MortonsFork minors who want to marry in the US normally need parental consent anyway nowadays]]), and two, for adolescents where there are truly no other good options and who have attained self-sufficiency (meaning that they are capable of supporting themselves for the foreseeable future and are not likely to go on welfare).