Can i stop the child support to my 18 year old son, once he gets graduated?

Full question:

My son, who is 18 years old, is currently attending High school in North Dakota and I have been providing child support to him. Now that his coursework and examinations are done and he is going to graduate next month, can I stop the child support which was ordered by the court? Will he be considered as a major?

• Category: Minors
• Subcategory: Child Support
• Date: 04/07/2025
• State: North Dakota

Answer:

The age of majority is 18 years in North Dakota. The statute N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 14-10-02 (West) provides that “[a]ll persons eighteen years of age and over are adults.”
With respect to provision of child support to children after majority, the state law states that the child support must be provided till the child is graduated or is of 19 years of age, whichever occurs first. However, if the court deems fit, the child support may be ordered to be continued after the child attains majority as well, depending upon the circumstances of the case.

The provisions discussing the child support for children after majority is discussed under N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 14-09-08.2 (West), which reads:

“1. A judgment or order requiring the payment of child support until the child attains majority continues as to the child until the end of the month during which the child is graduated from high school or attains the age of nineteen years, whichever occurs first, if:

a. The child is enrolled and attending high school and is eighteen years of age prior to the date the child is expected to be graduated; and
b. The child resides with the person to whom the duty of support is owed.

2. A judgment or order may require payment of child support after majority under substantially the circumstances described in subsection 1.
3. The person to whom the duty of support is owed under either subsection 1 or 2 may file an affidavit with the district court stating that the requirements of subsection 1 are met, the school in which the child is enrolled, and the anticipated date of the child's graduation. Upon filing of the affidavit, the child support resumes pursuant to subsection 1 or pursuant to the terms of a judgment or order described in subsection 2. A fee may not be charged for filing such an affidavit.
4. The clerk of court shall serve the affidavit by first-class mail upon the person owing the duty of support. If at any time thereafter the person owing the duty of support files a motion with the court, supported by that person's affidavit that the child is no longer enrolled in or attending high school, the court shall determine if the child is enrolled in and attending high school and shall enter an order accordingly.
5. This section applies to child support orders concerning children described in subsection 1 or 2, regardless of the date of entry of the order.
6. This section does not preclude the entry of an order for child support which continues after the child reaches age eighteen, if the parties agree, or if the court determines the support to be appropriate.
7. For purposes of this section:

a. A child is treated as being in school during summer vacation if the child was enrolled in and attending school and did not graduate from high school at the end of the school period immediately preceding the summer vacation; and
b. A child who is currently enrolled in school is not considered to have graduated, even if all required coursework and examinations have been completed, until the ceremony is held by the school to commemorate the child's graduation.”

Thus, in the current scenario, as per clause 7(b) of § 14-09-08.2, the child who has completed the coursework and examinations may not be considered to have graduated unless the child’s graduation ceremony is completed.