9 chapters · 399 sections in this title.
SDCL § 29A-3-106 Reserved 29A-3-107 Scope of proceedings--Proceedings independent--Exception
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29A-3-108 Probate, testacy, and appointment proceedings--Ultimate time limit. 29A-3-109 Statutes of limitation on decedent's cause of action. 29A-3-201 Venue for first and subsequent estate proceedings--Location of property. 29A-3-202 Appointment or testacy proceedings--Conflicti…
SDCL § 29A-3-107 Scope of proceedings--Proceedings independent--Exception
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Unless supervised administration as described in Part 5 is involved, each proceeding before the court or clerk is independent of any other proceeding involving the same estate; and petitions for formal orders of the court may combine various requests for relief in a single procee…
SDCL § 29A-3-108 Probate, testacy, and appointment proceedings--Ultimate time limit
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No informal probate or appointment proceeding or formal testacy or appointment proceeding, other than a proceeding to probate a will previously probated at the testator's domicile and appointment proceedings relating to an estate in which there has been a prior appointment, may b…
SDCL § 29A-3-109 Statutes of limitation on decedent's cause of action
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The running of any statute of limitations on a cause of action belonging to a decedent which has not been barred as of the date of death is suspended for one year following the decedent's death but resumes thereafter unless otherwise tolled. Source: SL 1994, ch 232 , § 3-109.
SDCL § 29A-3-1101 Effect of approval of agreements involving trusts, inalienable interests, or interests of third persons
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A compromise of any controversy as to admission to probate of any instrument offered for formal probate as the will of a decedent, the construction, validity, or effect of any governing instrument, the rights or interests in the estate of the decedent, of any successor, or the ad…
SDCL § 29A-3-1102 Procedure for securing court approval of compromise
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The procedure for securing court approval of a compromise is as follows: (1) The terms of the compromise shall be set forth in an agreement in writing which shall be executed by all competent persons having beneficial interests or having claims which will or may be affected by th…
SDCL § 29A-3-1201 Collection of personal property by affidavit
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(a) Thirty days after the death of a decedent, any person indebted to the decedent or having possession of tangible personal property or an instrument evidencing a debt, obligation, stock, or chose in action belonging to the decedent shall make payment of the indebtedness or deli…
SDCL § 29A-3-1202 Effect of affidavit
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(a) The person paying, delivering, transferring, or issuing personal property or the evidence thereof pursuant to affidavit is discharged and released as if the person had dealt with a personal representative of the decedent, and is not required to see to the application of the p…
SDCL § 29A-3-1203 Succession to real property by affidavit
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Sixty days after the death of a decedent, any person claiming to be a successor to the decedent's interest in real property in this state may file, or cause to be filed on their behalf, an affidavit describing the real property owned by the decedent and the interest of the decede…
SDCL § 29A-3-201 Venue for first and subsequent estate proceedings--Location of property
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(a) Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceedings after a decedent's death is: (1) In the county where the decedent was domiciled at the time of death; or (2) If the decedent was not domiciled in this state, in any county where property of the decedent…
SDCL § 29A-3-202 Appointment or testacy proceedings--Conflicting claim of domicile in another state
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If conflicting claims as to the domicile of a decedent are made in a formal testacy or appointment proceeding commenced in this state, and in a testacy or appointment proceeding after notice pending at the same time in another state, the court of this state must stay, dismiss, or…
SDCL § 29A-3-203 Priority among persons seeking appointment as personal representative
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(a) Whether the proceedings are formal or informal, persons who are not disqualified have priority for appointment in the following order: (1) The person with priority as determined by a probated will, including a person nominated by a power conferred in a will; (2) The surviving…
SDCL § 29A-3-204 Demand for notice of order or filing concerning decedent's estate
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Any interested person desiring notice of any order or filing pertaining to a decedent's estate may file a demand for notice with the court at any time after the death of the decedent stating the name of the decedent, the nature of the demandant's interest in the estate, and the d…
SDCL § 29A-3-301 Informal probate or appointment proceedings--Application--Contents
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(a) An informal probate proceeding is an informal proceeding for probate of a decedent's will with or without an application for informal appointment. An informal appointment proceeding is an informal proceeding for appointment of a personal representative in testate or intestate…
SDCL § 29A-3-302 Informal probate--Duty of clerk--Effect of informal probate
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Upon receipt of an application requesting informal probate of a will, the clerk, upon making the findings required by § 29A-3-303 shall issue a written statement of informal probate if at least one hundred twenty hours have elapsed since the decedent's death. Informal probate is …
SDCL § 29A-3-303 Informal probate--Proof and findings required
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(a) In an informal proceeding for original probate of a will, the clerk shall determine whether: (1) The application is complete; (2) The applicant has made oath or affirmation that the statements contained in the application are true to the best of the applicant's knowledge and …
SDCL § 29A-3-304 Reserved 29A-3-305 Informal probate--Clerk not satisfied
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29A-3-306 Informal probate--Notice requirements. 29A-3-307 Informal appointment proceedings--Delay in order--Duty of Clerk--Effect of appointment. 29A-3-308 Informal appointment proceedings--Proof and findings required. 29A-3-309 Informal appointment proceedings--Clerk not satisf…
SDCL § 29A-3-305 Informal probate--Clerk not satisfied
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The clerk of court may decline an application for informal probate if not satisfied that a will is entitled to be probated in informal proceedings because of failure to meet the requirements of § 29A-3-303 or for any other reason. A declination of informal probate is not an adjud…
SDCL § 29A-3-306 Informal probate--Notice requirements
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(a) The applicant shall give notice as described by § 29A-1-401 of the application for informal probate to any person demanding it pursuant to § 29A-3-204 , and to any personal representative of the decedent whose appointment has not been terminated. No other notice of informal p…
SDCL § 29A-3-307 Informal appointment proceedings--Delay in order--Duty of Clerk--Effect of appointment
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(a) Upon receipt of an application for informal appointment of a personal representative other than a special administrator as provided in § 29A-3-614 , if at least one hundred twenty hours have elapsed since the decedent's death, the clerk, after making the findings required by …
SDCL § 29A-3-308 Informal appointment proceedings--Proof and findings required
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(a) In informal appointment proceedings, the clerk shall determine whether: (1) The application for informal appointment of a personal representative is complete; (2) The applicant has made oath or affirmation that the statements contained in the application are true to the best …
SDCL § 29A-3-309 Informal appointment proceedings--Clerk not satisfied
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The clerk may decline an application for informal appointment if not satisfied that a requested informal appointment of a personal representative should be made because of failure to meet the requirements of §§ 29A-3-307 and 29A-3-308 or for any other reason. A declination of inf…
SDCL § 29A-3-310 Informal appointment proceedings--Notice requirements
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The applicant shall give notice as described by § 29A-1-401 of an intention to seek an appointment informally: (1) to any person demanding it pursuant to § 29A-3-204 ; and (2) to any person having a prior or equal right to appointment not waived in writing and filed with the cour…
SDCL § 29A-3-311 Informal appointment unavailable in certain cases
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The clerk shall decline an application for informal appointment if the application indicates the existence of a possible unrevoked testamentary instrument which may relate to property subject to the laws of this state, and which is not filed for probate in this court. Source: SL …
SDCL § 29A-3-401 Formal testacy proceedings--Nature--When commenced
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(a) A formal testacy proceeding is a proceeding conducted before the court to establish a will or determine intestacy. A formal testacy proceeding may be commenced by an interested person filing a petition as described in § 29A-3-402 requesting that the court, after notice and he…
SDCL § 29A-3-402 Formal testacy or appointment proceedings--Petition; contents
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(a) Petitions for formal probate of a will, or for adjudication of intestacy with or without request for appointment of a personal representative, shall be directed to the court, request a judicial order after notice and hearing and contain further statements as indicated in this…
SDCL § 29A-3-403 Formal testacy proceedings--Notice of hearing on petition
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(a) Upon commencement of a formal testacy proceeding, the court shall fix a time and place of hearing. Notice shall be given by the petitioner in the manner prescribed by § 29A-1-401 to the persons specified in this section and to any additional person who has filed a demand for …
SDCL § 29A-3-404 Formal testacy proceedings--Written objections to probate
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Any party to a formal proceeding who opposes the probate of a will for any reason shall state in the pleadings his or her objections to the probate. Source: SL 1994, ch 232 , § 3-404.
SDCL § 29A-3-405 Formal testacy proceedings--Uncontested cases--Hearings and proof
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If a petition in a testacy proceeding is unopposed, the court may order probate or intestacy on the strength of the pleadings if satisfied that the conditions of § 29A-3-409 have been met, or conduct a hearing in open court and require proof of the matters necessary to support th…
SDCL § 29A-3-406 Formal testacy proceedings--Contested cases--Testimony of attesting witnesses
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(a) If evidence concerning execution of an attested will which is not self - proved is necessary in contested cases, the testimony of at least one of the attesting witnesses, if within the state, competent and able to testify, is required. Due execution of an attested or unattest…
SDCL § 29A-3-407 Formal testacy proceedings--Burdens in contested cases
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In contested cases, petitioners who seek to establish intestacy have the burden of establishing prima facie proof of death, venue, and heirship. Proponents of a will have the burden of establishing prima facie proof of due execution in all cases, and, if they are also petitioners…
SDCL § 29A-3-408 Formal testacy proceedings--Will construction--Effect of final order in another jurisdiction
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A final order of a court of another state determining testacy, the validity or construction of a will, made in a proceeding involving notice to and an opportunity for contest by all interested persons shall be accepted as determinative by the courts of this state if it includes, …
SDCL § 29A-3-409 Formal testacy proceedings--Order--Foreign will
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After the time required for any notice has expired, upon proof of notice, and after any hearing that may be necessary, if the court finds that the testator is dead, venue is proper and that the proceeding was commenced within the limitation prescribed by § 29A-3-108 , it shall de…
SDCL § 29A-3-410 Formal testacy proceedings--Probate of more than one instrument
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If two or more instruments are offered for probate before a final order is entered in a formal testacy proceeding, more than one instrument may be probated if neither expressly revokes the other or contains provisions which work a total revocation by implication. If more than one…
SDCL § 29A-3-411 Formal testacy proceedings--Partial intestacy
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If it becomes evident in the course of a formal testacy proceeding that, though one or more instruments are entitled to be probated, the decedent's estate is or may be partially intestate, the court shall enter an order to that effect. Source: SL 1994, ch 232 , § 3-411.
SDCL § 29A-3-412 Formal testacy proceedings--Effect of order--Vacation
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Subject to appeal and subject to vacation as provided in this section or by other law, a formal testacy order under §§ 29A-3-409 to 29A-3-411 , inclusive, including an order that the decedent left no valid will and determining the heirs, is final as to all persons who were proper…
SDCL § 29A-3-413 Reserved 29A-3-414 Formal proceedings concerning appointment of personal representative
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29A-3-501 Supervised administration--Nature of proceeding. 29A-3-502 Supervised administration--Petition--Order. 29A-3-503 Supervised administration--Effect on other proceedings. 29A-3-504 Supervised administration--Powers of personal representative. 29A-3-505 Supervised administ…
SDCL § 29A-3-414 Formal proceedings concerning appointment of personal representative
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(a) A formal proceeding for adjudication regarding the priority or qualification of an applicant for appointment as personal representative, or of a person previously appointed personal representative in informal proceedings, is governed by § 29A-3-402 , as well as by this sectio…
SDCL § 29A-3-501 Supervised administration--Nature of proceeding
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Supervised administration is a single in rem proceeding to secure complete administration and settlement of a decedent's estate under the continuing authority of the court, which extends until entry of an order approving distribution of the estate and discharging the personal rep…
SDCL § 29A-3-502 Supervised administration--Petition--Order
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(a) A petition for supervised administration may be filed by any interested person or by a personal representative at any time or the request for supervised administration may be joined with a petition in a testacy or appointment proceeding. If the testacy of the decedent and the…
SDCL § 29A-3-503 Supervised administration--Effect on other proceedings
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(a) The pendency of a proceeding for supervised administration of a decedent's estate stays action on any informal application then pending or thereafter filed. (b) If a will has been previously probated in informal proceedings, the effect of the filing of a petition for supervis…
SDCL § 29A-3-504 Supervised administration--Powers of personal representative
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Unless restricted by the court, a supervised personal representative has, without interim orders approving exercise of a power, all powers of personal representatives under this code, but a supervised personal representative shall not exercise the power to make any distribution o…
SDCL § 29A-3-505 Supervised administration--Interim orders--Distribution and closing orders
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Unless otherwise ordered by the court, supervised administration is terminated by order in accordance with time restrictions, notices, and contents of orders prescribed for proceedings under §
SDCL § 29A-3-601 Qualification
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Prior to receiving letters, a personal representative shall qualify by filing with the appointing court an acceptance of office and any required bond. Source: SL 1994, ch 232 , § 3-601.
SDCL § 29A-3-602 Acceptance of appointment--Consent to jurisdiction
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By accepting appointment, a personal representative submits personally to the jurisdiction of the court in any proceeding relating to the estate that may be instituted by any interested person. Notice of any proceeding shall be delivered to the personal representative, or mailed …
SDCL § 29A-3-603 Personal representative--Bond not required--Exception
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A bond is not required of a personal representative unless the court concludes that a bond is in the best interests of the estate. Source: SL 1994, ch 232 , § 3-603; SL 2025, ch 90 , § 3.
SDCL § 29A-3-604 Bond amount--Security--Reduction--Procedure
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(a) If bond is required and the provisions of the will or order of appointment do not specify the amount, unless stated in the application or petition, the person qualifying as personal representative shall file a statement under oath with the clerk indicating the person's best e…
SDCL § 29A-3-605 Reserved 29A-3-606 Terms and conditions of bonds
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29A-3-607 Order restraining personal representative. 29A-3-608 Termination of appointment--General. 29A-3-609 Termination of appointment--Death or disability. 29A-3-610 Termination of appointment--Voluntary. 29A-3-611 Termination of appointment by removal--Cause; procedure. 29A-3…
SDCL § 29A-3-606 Terms and conditions of bonds
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(a) The following requirements and provisions apply to any bond required by this part: (1) Bonds shall name the state as obligee for the benefit of the persons interested in the estate and shall be conditioned upon the faithful discharge by the personal representative of all fidu…
SDCL § 29A-3-607 Order restraining personal representative
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(a) On petition of any person who appears to have an interest in the estate, the court by temporary order may restrain a personal representative from performing specified acts of administration, disbursement, or distribution, or exercise of any powers or discharge of any duties o…