Section 14-09-09.38 – [Effective 8/1/2021] Child support obligation of incarcerated parents

May 14, 2021 | Family Law, North Dakota

1. A monthly support obligation established under any provision of this code and in effect after December 31, 2017, expires by operation of law upon incarceration of the obligor under a sentence of one hundred eighty days or longer, excluding credit for time served before sentencing.
2. Notwithstanding subsection 1, a monthly support obligation may be established for an obligor incarcerated under a sentence of one hundred eighty days or longer if the obligation is based on actual income of the obligor and the moving party makes a prima facie showing the obligor’s income exceeds the minimum amount provided in the guidelines established under section 14-09-09.7.
3. As used in this section, “incarceration” means placement of an obligor in a custodial setting in which the obligor is not permitted to earn wages from employment outside the correctional facility, and does not include probation or work release.
4. The expiration of a monthly support obligation under subsection 1 does not affect any past-due support owed before the expiration of the obligation.
5. The child support agency shall notify the obligor and obligee of the expiration of a monthly support obligation under this section, including a description of how the obligation can be re-established after the obligor is released from incarceration.
6. If a monthly support obligation has expired under this section and the child support case is still open with the child support agency when the obligor is released from incarceration, the child support agency shall re-establish a monthly support obligation as provided in this chapter without requiring a request or application for services.

N.D.C.C. § 14-09-09.38

Amended by S.L. 2021, ch. TBD (SB 2132),§ 1, eff. 8/1/2021.
Added by S.L. 2017, ch. 119 (SB 2277),§ 1, eff. 8/1/2017.
This section is set out more than once. See also Section 14-09-09.38, effective until 8/1/2021.