Title 26, MINORS

If all necessary parties admit the allegations contained in the petition and the court accepts the admissions, the court may find, conclude and make a decision as to adjudication of the child under the applicable provisions of chapter 26-8A , 26-8B , or 26-8C . The court may then…

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter and related chapters 26-8A , 26-8B , and 26-8C , the rules of civil procedure and the rules of evidence apply to adjudicatory hearings. All other hearings shall be conducted under rules prescribed by the court. The rules may be designe…

Sections 26-7A-58 to 26-7A-73 , inclusive, relate to discovery in proceedings during the adjudicatory and dispositional phases under this chapter and chapters 26-8A , 26-8B , and 26-8C . In these sections, the term "respondent" means the child's parents, guardian, or custodian or…

On the written request of a respondent or a child, the state's attorney shall permit the respondent or child to inspect and copy or photograph any relevant written or recorded statements made by any respondent or child or copies of such statements in the possession, custody, or c…

On the written request of a respondent or a child, the state's attorney shall furnish to the respondent or child a copy of any prior order of adjudication or final decree of disposition affecting the party in any prior proceedings in the county involving the party that related to…

Provisions of this chapter and chapters 26-8A , 26-8B , and 26-8C shall be liberally construed in favor of the child, the child's parents, and the state for the purposes of protecting the child from abuse or neglect by the child's parents, guardian, or custodian and for the purpo…

On the written request of a respondent or a child, the state's attorney shall permit the respondent or child to inspect and copy or photograph books, papers, documents, photographs, tangible objects, buildings, or places, or copies or portions of them which are in the possession,…

On the written request of a respondent or a child, the state's attorney shall permit the respondent or child to inspect and copy or photograph any results or reports of physical or mental examinations and of scientific tests or experiments, or copies of them, which are in the pos…

Except as provided in §§ 26-7A-58 , 26-7A-59 , and 26-7A-61 the discovery or inspection of reports, memoranda, or other internal documents made by the state's attorney or other employees of the state or any department or agency of the state in connection with the investigation or…

In any proceedings under this chapter and chapters 26-8A , 26-8B , and 26-8C , no statement in the possession of the state's attorney which was made by a witness or prospective witness of the state or any department or agency of the state, other than a respondent or a child, may …

After a witness called by the state's attorney has testified on direct examination, the court shall, on the motion of a respondent or a child, order the state's attorney to produce any statement, as defined in § 26-7A-67 , of the witness in the possession of the state's attorney …

If the state's attorney claims that any statement ordered to be produced under §§ 26-7A-63 to 26-7A-67 , inclusive, contains matter which does not relate to the subject matter of the testimony of the witness, the court shall order the state's attorney to deliver the statement for…

If the state's attorney elects not to comply with an order of the court under §§ 26-7A-64 and 26-7A-65 to deliver to the respondent or the child any statement or portion of a statement that the court directs, the court shall strike from the record the testimony of the witness and…

The term, "statement," as used in §§ 26-7A-64 to 26-7A-66 , inclusive, in relation to any witness called by the state's attorney, means: (1) A written statement made by the witness and signed or otherwise adopted or approved by the witness; (2) A stenographic, mechanical, electri…

If a respondent or a child requests disclosure under § 26-7A-60 and the state's attorney complies with the request, the respondent or the child, on the written request of the state's attorney, shall permit the state's attorney to inspect and copy or photograph books, papers, docu…

If a respondent or a child requests disclosure under § 26-7A-61 and the state's attorney complies with the request, the respondent or the child, on the written request of the state's attorney, shall permit the state's attorney to inspect and copy or photograph any results or repo…

Any person who interferes or fails to comply with any order of the court affecting the direction or disposition of any child made pursuant to provisions of this chapter or chapter 26-8A , 26-8B , or 26-8C may be held in contempt of court and is subject to punishment as for contem…

Sections 26-7A-68 and 26-7A-69 authorize discovery or inspection of scientific or medical reports and do not authorize the discovery or inspection of reports, memoranda, or other internal case presentation documents made by the respondent or the child or their attorneys or agents…

If, prior to or during the hearing, a party discovers additional evidence or material previously requested or ordered which is subject to discovery or inspection under §§ 26-7A-58 to 26-7A-70 , inclusive, the party shall promptly notify the other parties or their attorneys or the…

On a sufficient showing the court may at any time order that the discovery or inspection be denied, restricted, or deferred or may make an order as is appropriate. On the motion of a party, the court may permit the party to make the showing, in whole or in part, in the form of a …

If, at any time during the course of a proceeding, it is brought to the attention of a court that a party has failed to comply with an applicable discovery provision of §§ 26-7A-58 to 26-7A-71 , inclusive, the court may order the party to permit the discovery or inspection, grant…

Sections 26-7A-75 to 26-7A-81 , inclusive, relate to depositions in proceedings during the adjudicatory and dispositional phases under this chapter and chapters 26-8A , 26-8B , and 26-8C . In these sections, the term "respondent" means the child's parents, guardian, or custodian …

Depositions may not be ordered for discovery or any other purpose except as specifically provided by statute or rule. If due to exceptional circumstances it is in the interests of justice that the testimony of a prospective witness of a party be taken and preserved for use at the…

The party at whose instance a deposition is to be taken in the state shall give to every party reasonable written notice of the time and place for taking the deposition. The notice shall state the name and address of each person to be examined. Any respondent or child has the rig…

Subject to any additional conditions set by the court, a deposition shall be taken and filed in the manner provided in civil actions except as otherwise provided in §§ 26-7A-75 to 26-7A-81 , inclusive. The scope and manner of examination and cross - examination shall be the same …

A deposition taken pursuant to this section shall be enclosed, sealed, and endorsed with the title of the action and the name of the officer taking the deposition. The officer taking the deposition shall address and transmit the deposition to the clerk of courts of the county whe…

At any hearing, a part or all of a deposition, so far as otherwise admissible under the rules of evidence, may be used if it appears: (1) That the deponent is dead; (2) That the deponent is out of the state, unless it appears that the absence of the deponent was procured by the p…

The presiding judge in each judicial circuit may appoint and employ qualified persons to serve as court services officers subject to the rules of the Supreme Court. Court services officers shall have such duties and responsibilities as directed by the Supreme Court. Source: SDC 1…

Objections to deposition testimony or evidence or a part of it and the grounds for the objections shall be stated at the time of the taking of the deposition. Objections to receiving in evidence a deposition or a part of a deposition may be made on the basis that the conditions o…

Nothing in §§ 26-7A-75 to 26-7A-80 , inclusive, precludes the taking, either orally or through written questions, of a deposition for use at a hearing or the use of a deposition by agreement of the parties with the consent of the court. Source: SL 1991, ch 217 , § 70G.

Following an advisory hearing on a petition, the court shall conduct an adjudicatory hearing. The court shall consider whether the allegations of the petition are supported by clear and convincing evidence concerning an alleged abused or neglected child or whether the allegations…

Written reports and other material and information relating to the child's mental, physical, and social history may be received and considered by the court at the adjudicatory hearing together with other evidence relating to the allegations of the petition or circumstances then a…

The court, on the motion of the state, the child, or any respondent or on the court's own motion, may order the petition to be amended to conform to the evidence. If amendment of the petition results in a substantial departure from the original allegations contained in the petiti…

If it appears from the evidence presented at the adjudicatory hearing that the child may be mentally ill or have an intellectual disability, as the terms are defined in Title 27A or Title 27B, the court may suspend the adjudicatory hearing and may: (1) Order that the child be exa…

If the court finds the allegations of the petition or amended petition are not supported by clear and convincing evidence in cases concerning an alleged abused or neglected child or are not supported by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt in cases concerning an alleged child in ne…

If the court finds the allegations of the petition are supported by clear and convincing evidence in cases concerning an alleged abused or neglected child or are supported by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt in cases concerning an alleged child in need of supervision or an alle…

After adjudication of a child as an abused or neglected child, a child in need of supervision or a delinquent child and before final disposition of the case, the court may require the following examinations and investigations and reports of them: (1) The court may order the child…

At any time after the filing of the petition and before the final disposition of the case, the court may continue the case from time to time. The court may issue orders it considers necessary allowing the child to remain in the custody of the child's parents, guardian, or custodi…

The state's attorney shall represent the state in all proceedings brought under this chapter and chapter 26-8A , 26-8B , or 26-8C . The state's attorney shall also represent the Department of Social Services in any proceedings brought under this chapter or chapter 26-8A unless th…

After adjudication, the court shall conduct dispositional hearings and consider evidence regarding proper disposition of the child best serving the interests of the child with due regard to the rights and interests of the child's parents, guardian, custodian, other parties respon…

Notice of entry of an order of adjudication or a final decree of disposition in any case shall be served on the parties to the action. The notice of entry may be served by publication in the same manner as service of summons in the actions. If notice of entry is served by publica…

In every case under this chapter and chapters 26-8B and 26-8C , if the child is committed to the Department of Corrections, the court shall appoint the secretary of corrections as guardian of the person of the child. If the court places the child at the Human Services Center, the…

No child governed by provisions of this chapter or chapter 26-8A , 26-8B , or 26-8C may be placed in any group home, residential care facility, group care institution, or any other facility unless the agency, department, association, or corporation operating the facility determin…

The following provisions govern the payment of costs of custodial care of any child who is the subject of proceedings under this chapter or chapter 26-8A , 26-8B , or 26-8C : (1) The child's parents, guardian, or custodian shall pay the costs of custodial care of the child at all…

Notwithstanding provisions of § 26-7A-94 , the child's parents' duty to support the child continues if the child is placed in the custodial care of the Department of Social Services or another department or agency of the state, and the costs of custodial care for a child and rela…

The secretary of the Department of Corrections may accept and expend for the purpose of § 26-7A-94 , in addition to the amount in that section, any funds obtained from federal sources, gifts, contributions, or any other source if the acceptance and expenditure are approved in acc…