Court Opinion

ID: 9657326
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 20:20:43.358051+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:43.492117
License: Public Domain

MARING, Justice,
on petition for rehearing.
[¶ 45] Logan has petitioned for rehearing, arguing this Court erred in remanding for recalculation of child support with income imputed based upon Logan’s 1999 income. Logan contends N.D.Admin.Code § 75-02-04.1-07(9) allows imputation of income based only upon a twelvemonth period falling within the thirty-six months before the proceeding was commenced. Because this proceeding was commenced on September 7, 1999, Logan argues income may not be imputed based upon the last three months of 1999.
[¶ 46] Logan has misconstrued the administrative rule. Section 75-02-04.1-07(9) specifies how imputed income is to be calculated:
monthly gross income equal to one hundred percent of the obligor’s greatest average monthly earnings, in any twelve consecutive months beginning on or after thirty-six months before commencement of the proceeding before the court, for which reliable evidence is provided, less actual monthly gross earnings, may be imputed.... (Emphasis added).
*324[¶ 47] The administrative rule requires that the twelve-month period begin within the thirty-six months before the proceeding was commenced, but not that the twelve-month period conclude prior to commencement of the proceeding. Accordingly, it is permissible in this case to impute income based upon Logan’s actual 1999 income, because that twelve-month period began “on or after thirty-six months before” this proceeding was commenced on September 7,1999, and the actual numbers were available at the time of the hearing.
[¶ 48] VANDE WALLE, C.J., NEUMANN, SANDSTROM, KAPSNER, JJ., concur.