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:
- State: North Dakota
Answer:
In North Dakota, the age of majority is 18 years (N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 14-10-02). Child support must continue until the child graduates from high school or turns 19, whichever comes first, as long as the child is enrolled in high school and resides with the person paying support.
According to N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 14-09-08.2, child support obligations remain until the end of the month in which the child graduates, provided the child is still attending school. Even if your son has completed his coursework and exams, he is not officially considered graduated until the graduation ceremony occurs (N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 14-09-08.2(7)(b)).
If the court finds it appropriate, child support can be ordered to continue after the child turns 18. You can file an affidavit with the court to confirm that the child is still in school and to ensure that support continues as required.
In summary, you cannot stop child support until after your son’s graduation ceremony, even if he has completed his coursework.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.