Do I need to continue paying child support after my daughter married?

Full question:

My 16-year-old daughter married her boyfriend with the consent from her mother who has her custody. I was paying a monthly child support of $130 per week which was ordered by the court at the time of my divorce. I was to continue such payment till my daughter reached the age of 18. Am I supposed to continue to pay child support in Wyoming in the given situation?

  • Category: Minors
  • Subcategory: Child Support
  • Date:
  • State: Wyoming

Answer:

In Wyoming, the minimum marriageable age is 16, but this requires parental consent. When a minor marries with such consent, they are considered emancipated, meaning they are treated as an adult by the court (Wyo. Stat. § 20-1-102). Emancipation ends the privileges of being a minor, including the right to receive child support.

According to Wyo. Stat. § 14-1-202, emancipation terminates parental support obligations. Therefore, as the father, you can request the court to modify or terminate your child support payments upon your daughter's marriage. It is advisable to seek court confirmation for this change.

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.

FAQs

In Wyoming, when a minor gets married with parental consent, they are considered emancipated. This means they no longer have the same rights as a minor, including the right to receive child support. As a result, parental support obligations, including child support payments, are typically terminated upon the minor's marriage (Wyo. Stat. § 14-1-202). It's advisable to seek court confirmation to officially modify or end the child support payments.