Woodard v. Woodard (Tennessee 2018)

Courts have authority to establish support for a special needs child who is over the age of majority at the time of a divorce as long as the child became disabled before reaching the age of majority. However, if the initial order did not address support, it cannot be established later. The mother appealed a court order declining to establish support for a disabled child, who was over the age of majority. The appellate court upheld the order. It found the statute gives courts the authority to order support for disabled children who have reached the age of majority prior to a divorce during the initial divorce proceeding. However, support cannot be established after the fact.