Title 15, CIVIL PROCEDURE

(1) Any objection during a deposition must be stated concisely and in a nonargumentative and nonsuggestive manner. A person may instruct a deponent not to answer only when necessary to preserve a privilege, to enforce a limitation directed by the court, or to present a motion und…

When the testimony is fully transcribed the deposition shall be submitted to the witness for examination and shall be read to or by him, unless such examination and reading are waived by the witness and by the parties. Any changes in form or substance which the witness desires to…

(1) The officer shall prepare an electronic copy of the deposition transcript, including any changes as provided in § 15-6-30(e), and shall certify on the deposition that the witness was duly sworn by the officer and that the deposition is a true record of the testimony given by …

(1) If the party giving the notice of the taking of a deposition fails to attend and proceed therewith and another party attends in person or by attorney pursuant to the notice, the court may order the party giving the notice to pay to such other party the amount of the reasonabl…

15-6-31(b) Officer to take responses and prepare record. 15-6-31(c) Notice of filing.

After commencement of the action, any party may take the testimony of any person, including a party, by deposition upon written questions. The attendance of witnesses may be compelled by the use of subpoena as provided in § 15-6-45 . The deposition of a person confined in prison …

A copy of the notice and copies of all questions served shall be delivered by the party taking the deposition to the officer designated in the notice, who shall proceed promptly, in the manner provided by §§ 15-6-30(c), 15-6-30(e), and 15-6-30(f), to take the testimony of the wit…

When the deposition is filed, the party filing it shall promptly give notice thereof to all other parties. Source: SL 2006, ch 302 (Supreme Court Rule 06-28), eff. July 1, 2006. 15-6-31(D) 15-6-31(d). Superseded 15-6-32 15-6-32. Effect of errors and irregularities in depositions

15-6-32(b) Objections to admissibility. 15-6-32(c) Effect of taking or using deposition. 15-6-32(d) Effect of errors and irregularities in depositions.

At the trial or upon the hearing of a motion or an interlocutory proceeding, any part or all of a deposition, so far as admissible under the rules of evidence applied as though the witness were then present and testifying, may be used against any party who was present or represen…

Subject to the provisions of § 15-6-28(b) and subdivision 15-6-32(d)(3), objection may be made at the trial or hearing to receiving in evidence any deposition or part thereof for any reason which would require the exclusion of the evidence if the witness were then present and tes…

A party does not make a person his own witness for any purpose by taking his deposition. The introduction in evidence of the deposition or any part thereof for any purpose other than that of contradicting or impeaching the deponent makes the deponent the witness of the party intr…

(1) As to notice. All errors and irregularities in the notice for taking a deposition are waived unless written objection is promptly served upon the party giving the notice. (2) As to disqualification of officer. Objection to taking a deposition because of disqualification of th…

15-6-33(b) Scope--Use at trial. 15-6-33(c) Option to produce business records.

Any party may serve upon any other party written interrogatories to be answered by the party served or, if the party served is a public or private corporation or a partnership or association or governmental agency, by any officer or agent, who shall furnish such information as is…

Interrogatories may relate to any matters which can be inquired into under § 15-6-26(b), and the answers may be used to the extent permitted by the rules of evidence. An interrogatory otherwise proper is not necessarily objectionable merely because an answer to the interrogatory …

Where the answer to an interrogatory may be derived or ascertained from the business records of the party upon whom the interrogatory has been served or from an examination, audit, or inspection of such business records, including a compilation, abstract, or summary thereof, and …

15-6-34(b) Procedure. 15-6-34(c) Persons not parties.

Any party may serve on any other party a request: (1) To produce and permit the party making the request, or someone acting on his behalf, to inspect and copy, any designated documents (including writings, drawings, graphs, charts, photographs, phono - records, and other data com…

The request may, without leave of court, be served upon the plaintiff after commencement of the action and upon any other party with or after service of the summons and complaint upon that party. The request shall set forth the items to be inspected either by individual item or b…

This rule does not preclude an independent action against a person not a party for production of documents and things and permission to enter upon land. Source: SDCL, § 15-6-34 as added by Supreme Court Rule 76-3, § 8. 15-6-35 15-6-35. Physical and mental examinations and blood t…

15-6-35(b) Report of examining physician.

In an action in which the mental or physical condition of a party or the consanguinity of a party with another person or party is in controversy, the court in which the action is pending may order such person or party to submit to a physical or mental examination or blood test by…

(1) If requested by the party against whom an order is made under § 15-6-35(a) or the person examined, the party causing the examination to be made shall deliver to him a copy of a detailed written report of the examining physician setting out his findings, including results of a…

15-6-36(b) Effect of admission.

A party may serve upon any other party a written request for the admission, for purposes of the pending action only, of the truth of any matters within the scope of subdivision 15-6-26(b)(1) set forth in the request that relate to statements or opinions of fact or of the applicat…

Any matter admitted under this rule is conclusively established unless the court on motion permits withdrawal or amendment of the admission. Subject to the provisions of § 15-6-16 governing amendment of a pretrial order, the court may permit withdrawal or amendment when the prese…

15-6-37(b) Failure to comply with order. 15-6-37(c) Failure to disclose--False or misleading disclosure--Refusal to admit. 15-6-37(d) Failure of party to attend at own deposition or serve answers to interrogatories or respond to request for inspection.

A party, upon reasonable notice to other parties and all persons affected thereby, may apply for an order compelling discovery as follows: (1) Appropriate court. An application for an order to a party may be made to the court in which the action is pending. An application for an …

(1) Sanctions by court in circuit where deposition is taken. If a deponent fails to be sworn or to answer a question after being directed to do so by the court in the circuit in which the deposition is being taken, the failure may be considered a contempt of that court. (2) Sanct…

(1) A party that without substantial justification fails to disclose information required by subdivision 15-6-26(e)(1), or to amend a prior response to discovery as required by subdivision 15-6-26(e)(2), is not, unless such failure is harmless, permitted to use as evidence at a t…

If a party or an officer, director, or managing agent of a party or a person designated under subdivision 15-6-30(b)(6) or § 15-6-31(a) to testify on behalf of a party fails (1) to appear before the officer who is to take the deposition, after being served with a proper notice, o…

15-6-38(b) Demand for jury trial. 15-6-38(c) Specification of issues in demand for jury trial. 15-6-38(d) Waiver of jury trial.

The right of trial by jury as declared by S.D. Const., Art. VI, § 6 or as given by a statute of South Dakota shall be preserved to the parties inviolate. Source: SD RCP, Rule 38 (a), as adopted by Sup. Ct. Order March 29, 1966, effective July 1, 1966.

Any party may demand a trial by jury of any issue triable of right by a jury by serving upon the other parties a demand therefor in writing at any time after the commencement of the action and not later than ten days after the service of the last pleading directed to such issue. …

In the demand for jury trial a party may specify the issues which the party wishes so tried; otherwise the party shall be deemed to have demanded trial by jury for all the issues so triable. If the party has demanded trial by jury for only some of the issues, any other party with…

The failure of a party to serve a demand as required by § 15-6-38 constitutes a waiver by the party of trial by jury. A demand for trial by jury made as herein provided may not be withdrawn without the consent of the parties. Source: SD RCP, Rule 38 (d), as adopted by Sup. Ct. Or…

15-6-39(b) Trial by the court. 15-6-39(c) Advisory jury and trial by consent.

When trial by jury has been demanded as provided in § 15-6-38 , the action shall be designated upon the docket as a jury action. The trial of all issues so demanded shall be by jury, unless: (1) The parties or their attorneys of record, by written stipulation filed with the court…

Issues not demanded for trial by jury as provided in § 15-6-38 shall be tried by the court; but, notwithstanding the failure of a party to demand a jury in an action in which such a demand might have been made of right, the court in its discretion upon motion may order a trial by…

In all actions not triable of right by a jury the court upon motion or of its own initiative may try any issue with an advisory jury, or the court, with the consent of both parties, may order a trial with a jury whose verdict has the same effect as if trial by jury had been a mat…

The summons shall be legibly subscribed by the plaintiff or his attorney and shall include the subscriber's address. It shall be directed to the defendant, and shall require him to answer the complaint and serve a copy of his answer on the subscriber at the subscriber's address w…

A copy of the complaint need not be served with the summons. In such case the summons must state where the complaint is or will be filed. If the complaint is not served with the summons and the defendant within thirty days after service of the summons, in any such case, causes no…

The summons may be served by the sheriff or a constable of the county or other comparable political subdivision where the defendant may be found, or in the District of Columbia by the United States marshal or a deputy, or by any other person not a party to the action who at the t…

The summons shall be served by delivering a copy thereof. Service in the following manner shall constitute personal service: (1) If the action is against a business entity, on the president, partner or other head of the entity, officer, director, or registered agent thereof. If a…

Service in the following manner shall also constitute personal service. If the defendant cannot be found conveniently, service may be made by leaving a copy at the defendant's dwelling with someone over the age of fourteen years who resides there. Source: SDC 1939 & Supp 1960, § …