Does child support still need to be paid if the divorce decree states 18 and or graduation?

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18 and or graduation

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There's your answer.
After that point the child is consider an adult so no longer requires support.

If the child is still 12, it does, if the child is now 18, no or if the child graduates no

Unfortunately that wording is too vague. Graduation of what, high school, college? If your child is 18 and you wish to halt payments you will need to go back to the court that issued the decree and get clarification. You can't just decide to stop support on your own.

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Originally Posted by ScottGem

Unfortunately that wording is too vague. Graduation of what, high school, college? If your child is 18 and you wish to halt payments you will need to go back to the court that issued the decree and get clarification. You can't just decide to stop support on your own.

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The key is the redundent phrase "and or". Whoever inserted that wasn't thinking too clearly. If they had meant 18 and graduation, they should have said so. Because the use of "and or" means that child support ends when the first condition (age 18), and the second condition (graduation from something), or either condition applies. If the child has reached age 18, it is not necessary that he/she has graduated.

Similarly, the custodian of a 12 year old child prodigy who has graduated from medical school no longer is entitled to child support. :)