Opinion ID: 1401436
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: History of AS 25.24.170(a)

Text: Alaska Statute 25.24.170(a) formerly provided that if a party moved for modification, a court could modify a judgment as to the care and custody of minor children: Subject to AS 25.20.110, any time after judgment the court, upon motion of either party, may set aside, alter, or modify so much of the judgment as may provide for alimony, for the appointment of trustees for the care and custody of the minor children or for their nurture and education, or for the maintenance of either party to the action. [1] We held in 1984 that this statute did not authorize trial courts to order a parent to pay support beyond the child's eighteenth birthday, the age of majority. [2] In 1988 the legislature changed the age of entrance to kindergarten for public school; in order to be eligible for kindergarten, a child must now turn five before August 15 rather than November 2. [3] This change has resulted in many children turning eighteen before their high school graduation. Glenda Straube of the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support testified before the House Committee on Health, Education and Social Services that ninety percent of youth in the Anchorage school system will turn eighteen during their senior year. [4] Then Representative Fran Ulmer, the bill's sponsor, also noted that [t]he result is that many Alaska children must complete their final year of high school without the benefit of financial support from the non-custodial parent and that many families will thus be forced to turn to public assistance. [5] Because of these concerns, the legislature amended AS 25.24.170(a) in 1992 to address this problem: Subject to AS 25.20.110, any time after judgment the court, upon motion of either party, may set aside, alter, or modify so much of the judgment as may provide for alimony, for the appointment of trustees for the care and custody of the minor children or for their nurture and education, for the care, nurture, and education of unmarried 18-year-old children of the marriage while they are actively pursuing a high school diploma or an equivalent level of technical or vocational training and living as dependents with a parent, guardian, or designee of the parent or guardian, or for the maintenance of either party to the action. [6] Thus, as long as an eighteen-year-old child meets these statutory conditions, a custodial parent may move for continued child support.