I know that there are no laws in Utah for emancipation, however I have a simple question that maybe you could help me with:

My little sister will be turning 18 in April but does not graduate from High School until May. My parents are telling her that she has to wait until she graduates before she can move out and cannot move out when she is 18. What does Utah law state? From what I know, she can move out when she turns 18 and technically doesn’t even have to finish high school if she didn’t want to (she will graduate though). Do you have any legal proof that she can move out when she is 18 and doesn’t have to wait until she graduates?

please reply to this email to jessica.wilson@academy.cc

thank you.

In all of the statutes that I could find concerning this topic, In Utah, at 18, she is legally emancipated. Now for child support purposes, she would not be emancipated until she is 21. That means that if a parent was ordered to pay support, they would have to pay until she is 21, but that has no bearing on her being a legal adult. I could find nothing supporting her parents' statements that she cannot leave home at 18. If she can join the military, sign a contract, lease an apartment, or get married, why wouldn't she be able to move out? If someone can find more info, I would be curious to know this, too.