Legal Question in Family Law in Oregon

Re: Child Support to 18 year old Child

QUESTION:

I recently turn 18 years of age and my father is now paying the court-ordered "child" support to me. He wants to control what I spend the money on. Is it legal for him to tell me what to do with that money? (he still thinks of it as ''his money'' is that right?)

ANSWER:

How insolent and disrespectful! Now that you are 18, and supposedly an adult (and no longer a "child" in the eyes of the law) you really ought to grow and begin ACTING like one.

Generally, in most states, once a person attains age 18 and ceases to be a minor child, there is no longer any right to look to mommy and daddy for financial support. Oregon is one of the very few states that has such a law, the purpose of which to assist an 18-21 y/o son or daughter to continue with his or her education. You are most fortunate to be the beneficiary of this peculiar Oregon law.

And you are being rather naive, selfish and greedy in even THINKING that it is not "his money". Where do you think those dollars are coming from??! Of course it is HIS money. You are receiving it for the limited purpose of enabling you to continue with your education. It is not "free money" nor do you have any general "right" to be supported by mommy and/or daddy now that you are all grown up. Take some responsibility for your own life and have a little respect for your parents (both of them).

Unlike a parent's legal duty to support a minor child (and the minor child's entitlement to be supported by parents), a majority-age child has no such "entitlement." Rather, it is solely at the behest of the court, and the court can change or terminate the order at any time.

Were I representing your father, I would advise him to you to court and have the support obligation terminated. At the very least, I would ask the judge to require you to appear in court and make a showing justifing your need for the money, and why it is that you are not willing to accept the personal responsibility for self-support that is generally imposed on adults (which is what you supposed now are).

Obviously, you are not getting sympathy from me. And, frankly, I doubt you would get much sympathy from a judge. So don't push it.

LDG