Top Brookline, NH Emancipation of Minors Lawyers Near You

Minors Can Seek Emancipation

Minors between 14 and 18 years old, under certain circumstances, may petition the court to be emancipated. To achieve emancipation, a petitioner must prove that he or she has established a permanent and stable home away from parents, has an income to adequately support him or herself, and is mature enough to make competent decisions.

How an Emancipation of Minors Lawyer Can Help

Minors seeking emancipation can benefit from the counsel of a Brookline emancipation of minors lawyer in preparing their petition, understanding the legal and social ramifications of emancipation, and filing the petition with the court. The lawyer also can form a case of why the parents are unfit, if necessary.

Best Time to Seek Legal Help

No matter what your legal issue may be, it is always best to seek legal help early in the process. An attorney can help secure what is likely to be the best possible outcome for your situation and avoid both unnecessary complications or errors.

Top Questions to Ask a Lawyer

• What is the usual process to resolve my case? How long will it take to resolve this?
• What are likely outcomes of a case like mine? What should I expect?

An experienced lawyer should be able to communicate a basic “road map” on how to proceed. The lawyer should be able to walk you through the anticipated process, key considerations, and potential pitfalls to avoid. Once you’ve laid out the facts of your situation to the lawyer, he/she should be able to frame expectations and likely scenarios to help you understand your legal issue.

How will an attorney charge me?

A reputable attorney will be very upfront about how he/she will charge you. The three most common fee structures that attorneys use to charge for their services are:

• Bill by the hour
• Contingent fee agreement
• Flat fee agreement

Depending on your specific legal situation, it’s possible that only one type of fee structure is available. For instance, criminal defense attorneys almost always bill by the hour. In a flat fee arrangement, an attorney accepts a one-time payment to help you resolve your issue. With a contingent fee agreement, the client pays little to nothing upfront and the attorney receives a percentage of the money recovered if you win your case.

Common legal terms explained

Personal jurisdiction – Requirement that a particular court have authority over a person, in order to bind that person to the judgment of the court, based on minimum contacts. International Shoe Co v. Washington is a landmark Supreme Court case outlining the scope of a state court’s reach in personal jurisdiction.