At what age can you decide not to live with your parents?

Okay, so, you're wondering when you can legally ditch the parental nest in California? It's 18. Eighteen! Freedom, right? Think of all the possibilities… Though honestly, sometimes I miss home-cooked meals. Anyway, I remember my cousin, right around 16, she really wanted to live with her dad. Things weren't great with her mom, you know? Lots of… tension. But it was a whole court thing, lawyers and all that. See, even though she was under 18, the judge had to listen to what she wanted because she was over 14. Makes sense, doesn't it? I mean, a 14-year-old has a pretty good idea of what they want, even if they don't always make the best decisions. (Who does, at that age?!) But there’s a catch. The judge can decide it's not in the kid's best interest, even if they are over 14. Like, say, if the parent they want to live with is… well, you know, not the best influence. So it's 18 for sure, but even at 14, your voice matters in California. It's not a guarantee, but they have to listen. It’s a start, right?