Legal Question in Family Law in Tennessee

Child Support Cessation-Definition of Minor Child

If a divorce agreement does not specifiy a specific age for the cessation of child support payments in the State of Tennessee other than the words "minor child"; when does such support end. Does cessation of child support require a court order? What exactly is the definition of a minor child according to the State of Tennessee?


Asked on 6/14/99, 10:47 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Jes Beard Jes Beard, Attorney at Law

Re: Child Support End-Definition of Minor Child

In Tennessee a child seases to be a minor at age 18, but generally the support obligation continues until the LATER of the following: the child's 18th birthday, OR when the child's high school class graduates, which in a child has failed a grade or started school late might be at age 19 or 20.

But if the Order is silent on that and simply says support will continue to only so long as the child is a minor, I would argue that it ends on the 18th birthday.

If the support is being paid by a wage assignment, you probably will need a court Order to end it, but if one parent is paying the other directly or is makeing payments into the court, I would not go through the effort of getting a court order.

For more on the law in Tennessee on child support, custody, visitation, divorce and related issues, check my website at http://www.jesbeard.com

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Answered on 6/30/99, 9:59 am


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