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Legal Information: North Dakota

Statutes: North Dakota

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Updated: 
December 28, 2023

14-09-08.4. Periodic review of child support orders

1. Each child support order being enforced by the child support agency must be reviewed by the child support agency no less frequently than thirty-six months after the establishment of the order or the most recent amendment or review of the order by the court or child support agency unless:

a. In the case of an order with respect to which there is in effect an assignment under chapter 50-09, the child support agency has determined that a review is not in the best interests of the child and neither the obligor nor the obligee has requested review;

b. In the case of any other order neither the obligor nor the obligee has requested review; or

c. In the case of a review requested by the obligor, the obligor failed to provide information required under subsection 1 of section 14-09-08.6 with the request for review.

2. Each child support order, in which there is in effect an assignment under chapter 50-09 or with respect to which either the obligor or the obligee has requested review, must be reviewed by the child support agency if:

a. More than twelve months have passed since the establishment of the order or the most recent amendment or review of that order by the court or child support agency, whichever is later; and

b. The order provides for no child support and was based on a finding that the obligor has no ability to pay child support.

3. If, upon review, the child support agency determines that the order provides for child support payments in an amount that is inconsistent with the amount that would be required by the child support guidelines established under subsection 1 of section 14-09-09.7, the child support agency may seek an amendment of the order. If the order provides for child support payments in an amount less than eighty-five percent or more than one hundred fifteen percent of the amount that would be required by those guidelines, the child support agency shall seek an amendment of the order.

4. If a child support obligation sought to be amended was entered at least one year before the filing of a motion or petition for amendment, the court shall order the amendment of the child support obligation to conform the amount of child support payment to that required under the child support guidelines, whether or not the motion or petition for amendment arises out of a periodic review of a child support obligation, and whether or not a material change of circumstances has taken place, unless the presumption that the correct amount of child support would result from the application of the child support guidelines is rebutted. If a motion or petition for amendment is filed within one year of the entry of the obligation sought to be amended, the party seeking amendment must also show a material change of circumstances.

5. A determination that a child who is the subject of a child support order is eligible for benefits furnished under subsection 16 or 18 of section 50-06-05.1or chapter 50-09 or 50-24.1, or any substantially similar program operated by any state or tribal government, constitutes a material change of circumstances. The availability of health insurance at reasonable cost to a child who is the subject of a child support order constitutes a material change of circumstances. The need to provide for a child’s health care needs, through health insurance or other means, constitutes a material change of circumstances.