Opinion ID: 2405298
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: New Hampshire Law

Text: Having concluded that the parties' choice of law provision does not govern here and that pursuant to UIFSA, New Hampshire law applies to the obligation to contribute to the children's college expenses, we turn to whether the trial court erred when it applied New Hampshire law. We first address Husband's obligation to pay the son's college expenses. Husband was ordered to pay these expenses in 2003. At that time, under New Hampshire law, the trial court had broad discretionary powers to order divorced parents to contribute to their children's college expenses. In the Matter of Donovan & Donovan, 152 N.H. 55, 61, 871 A.2d 30 (2005) (quotation omitted). New Hampshire law changed, effective February 2, 2004, when the pertinent statute was amended to preclude a trial court from ordering a parent to contribute to an adult child's college expenses. See id.; RSA 458:17, XI-a. The trial court applied this amendment retroactively, ruling that the amendment nullified its 2003 order mandating payment of the son's college expenses. This was error. We have repeatedly held that the February 2, 2004 amendment only applies prospectively. See In the Matter of Donovan & Donovan, 152 N.H. at 63-64, 871 A.2d 30; In the Matter of Cole & Ford, 156 N.H. 609, 612, 939 A.2d 750 (2007); In the Matter of Forcier & Mueller, 152 N.H. 463, 466, 879 A.2d 1144 (2005). Because the 2003 order that required Husband to pay $3,000 per year toward the son's college expenses predated the February 2, 2004 change in the law, the trial court retained the authority to enforce its 2003 order. See In the Matter of Cole & Ford, 156 N.H. at 612, 939 A.2d 750. Because we conclude that the trial court misapplied New Hampshire law with respect to Husband's contribution to the son's college expenses, we vacate this portion of its order and remand for it to determine the amount Husband owes. We next address payment of the daughter's college expenses. Because there is no order requiring Husband to pay a set percentage of or a specific dollar amount toward the daughter's college expenses predating the February 2, 2004 change in the law, and because that change operates prospectively, the trial court had no jurisdiction to issue a new order for payment of these expenses. See In the Matter of Donovan & Donovan, 152 N.H. at 63-64, 871 A.2d 30; In the Matter of Goulart & Goulart, 158 N.H. 328, 330-32, 965 A.2d 1068 (2009). We, therefore, affirm the trial court's decision denying Wife's request to order Husband to contribute to these expenses.