Can I leave my house without permission?

[roche]

I live in Wisconsin. I'll be 18 in 4 months. I cannot take living at home any longer. I live with my mom and step dad. My real dad still has legal rights over me as a father but he has not been in my life since I was in 6th grade. My mom and step dad are to the point where they aren't going to try to keep me at home because they know I will leave anyway but the rest of my family would be the ones to get a hold of the police for it. People have told me that I can leave because it won't get through to the courts until I am already 18. I know that there is a chance that the police can pick me up and bring me back home, is that all they can do? Can I leave without getting into trouble with the law?

[hackett]

Id leave, just lay low till ur 18..i doubt law enforcement,and the courts would do anything if ur almost 18. My friends dad is a judge n says ur an adult in the courts eyes at 17. Plus what are the chances of the police randomly just picking u up off the street? Its only 4 months

[vipponah]

Id leave, just lay low till ur 18..i doubt law enforcement,and the courts would do anything if ur almost 18. My friends dad is a judge n says ur an adult in the courts eyes at 17. Plus what are the chances of the police randomly just picking u up off the street? Its only 4 months

What you've heard is not true. If you're under 18, you cannot leave home without the consent of your parents. If you leave before then, your parents can call the police and the police have an obligation to bring you home. If you continue to runaway, the police will put you in a juvenile detention center or group home and the process can take longer than when you turn 18. Turning 18 doesn't erase the things you did that were illegal prior to 18.

[trucker]

yeah definitely.
but you need somewhere to go first.
they can pick you up off the street and just take you back.
you need to be able to live away from the house, not just exist away from it.
my parents left their homes when they were 16/17, it makes me feel bad cuz im 18 and still kind of live with them (they own the house but live and work somewhere else, they live north, they come down when they have business or for holidays and they still have a bedroom and stuff so yeah...)
ANYWAY BACK TO YOU
get a job, save some money, when you turn 18, get a friend and move in together

[norwyn]

Just make sure your family knows where you are, since they obviously care.