America teen sues parent to court

A New Jersey teenager who drew international
attention when she sued her parents for
financial support after leaving home in a
dispute on Tuesday dropped the case against
them, according to court records.
Rachel Canning, 18, filed papers to dismiss
the lawsuit in New Jersey family court, saying
the decision was voluntary.
The lawsuit’s dismissal ends a public battle
between Canning and her parents that raised
questions about the obligations of non-
divorced parents in New Jersey to continue to
financially support adult children after they
leave home.
Canning returned to her parents’ home in
Lincoln Park, New Jersey, last week after a
four-month estrangement that began when
she turned 18, the legal age of adulthood.
She had sued her parents, Sean and Elizabeth
Canning, for her private high school tuition,
living expenses and access to a college fund,
arguing that though she did not reside with
them, she was not legally emancipated and
therefore was entitled to their financial care.
Her parents said they would continue to pay
for their daughter’s education and expenses if
she returned home to complete high school.
Canning contended in her lawsuit that she was
emotionally abused and effectively abandoned.
Her parents argued that their daughter had
disciplinary problems at home and school and
would not conform to house rules that
included curfews and chores.
During the estrangement, Rachel Canning had
been living with a friend’s family, who also
funded her lawsuit.
Attorneys for Rachel Canning and her parents
did not respond to a request for comment on
Tuesday.