§ 9-14-237 — Expiration of child support obligation

(a) (1) Unless a court order for child support specifically extends child support after these circumstances, a payor parent's duty to pay child support for a child shall automatically terminate by operation of law: (A) When the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age unless the child is still attending high school; (B) If the child is still attending high school, upon the child's high school graduation or the end of the school year after the child reaches nineteen (19) years of age, whichever is earlier; (C) When the child: (i) Is emancipated by a court of competent jurisdiction; (ii) Marries; or (iii) Dies; (D) Upon the marriage of the parents of the child to each other; or (E) Upon the entry of a final decree of adoption or an interlocutory decree of adoption that has become final under the Revised Uniform Adoption Act, § 9-9-201 et seq., and thereby relieves the payor parent of all parental rights and responsibilities. (2) However, any unpaid child support obligations owed under a judgment or in arrearage pursuant to a child support order shall be satisfied pursuant to § 9-14-235 . (b) (1) If the payor parent has additional child support obligations after the duty to pay support for a child terminates, then either the payor parent, payee parent, physical custodian, or the Office of Child Support Enforcement of the Revenue Division of the Department of Finance and Administration, within thirty (30) days subsequent to the expiration of the ten-day period allowed for the notification as provided in subdivision (b)(5) of this section, may file a motion with a court of competent jurisdiction requesting that the court determine the amount of the child support obligation for the remaining children. (2) The remaining obligations, subsequent to the expiration of the thirty-day period contained in subdivision (b)(1) of this section, shall be adjusted by operation of law to an amount to be determined by using the most recent version of the family support chart pursuant to § 9-12-312(a)(3) for any remaining children for whom an obligation for child support exists. (3) If the most recent child support order either was entered before the adoption of revised Administrative Order No. 10 by the Supreme Court on April 2, 2020, and the remaining obligations cannot be adjusted by operation of law without both parents' income, or the support amount, as indicated by the most recent child support order, deviated from the family support chart, then the issue of the amount of the payor parent's child support obligation shall be decided by a court of competent jurisdiction. (4) (A) In the event a review is requested, the court shall apply the family support chart for the remaining number of children from the date of the termination of the duty, subject to any changed circumstances, which shall be noted in writing by the court. (B) Deviation from the family support chart shall be noted in the court order or on the record, as appropriate. (5) (A) The payor parent shall provide written notification of the termination of the duty of support to the payee parent, the physical custodian, the clerk of the court responsible for receipt of the child support payments, the payor parent's employer, if income withholding is in effect, and the office, if applicable, within ten (10) days of the termination of the duty of support. (B) The payor parent shall enclose with the written notification of termination a copy of the most recent child support order. (C) The notification shall state the name and age of each child for whom the obligation to pay child support has ceased and the name and age of children set out in prior terminations of child support made pursuant to this subsection. (c) No statute of limitations shall apply to an action brought for the collection of a child support obligation of arrearage against any party who leaves or remains outside the State of Arkansas with the purpose to avoid the payment of child support.

Legislative History

Amended by Act 2021, No. 927,§ 13, eff. 7/28/2021. Acts 1993, No. 326, § 1; 1999, No. 1075, § 1; 2003, No. 1020, § 7; 2007, No. 337, § 1; 2009, No. 635, § 1