§ 14-09-09 — Liability of stepparent for support

North Dakota § 14-09-09

• Jurisdiction: North Dakota
• Title 14: Domestic Relations and Persons
• Ch. 14-09: Parent and Child

Text

A stepparent is not bound to maintain the spouse's dependent children, as defined in
section 50-09-01, unless the child is received into the stepparent's family. If the stepparent
receives them into the family, the stepparent is liable, to the extent of the stepparent's ability, to
support them during the marriage and so long thereafter as they remain in the stepparent's
family. Such liability may be enforced against the stepparent by any person furnishing
necessaries to such children. If an order issued under section 14-09-08.10 requires an obligee
to provide health insurance coverage, any coverage that is available to the stepparent for the
obligee's dependent children is considered to be available to the obligee and is enforceable
against the stepparent by a child support agency. If the children are received into the
stepparent's family and supported by the stepparent, it is presumed that the stepparent does so
as a parent, in which case the children are not liable to the stepparent for their support, nor the
stepparent to them for their services. The legal obligation of a natural or adoptive parent to
support that person's children is not affected by the liability imposed upon their stepparent by
this section.