Title 26 — MINORS

Minors are natural male persons and natural female persons under eighteen years of age. The periods thus specified must be calculated from the first minute of the day on which persons are born, to the same minute of the corresponding day completing the period of minority. Source:…

A child conceived, but not born, is to be deemed an existing person so far as may be necessary for its interests in the event of its subsequent birth. Source: SDC 1939, § 43.0102.

A minor may enforce his rights by civil action, or other legal proceedings, in the same manner as a person of full age. However, a guardian or conservator must be appointed to conduct the same. Source: SDC 1939, § 43.0109; SL 1993, ch 213 , § 115.

A minor is civilly liable for a wrong done by him, in like manner as any other person, but cannot be subjected to exemplary damages, unless at the time of the act he was capable of knowing that it was unlawful. Source: SDC 1939, § 43.0108.

No minor may give a delegation of power, nor make a contract relating to real property, or any interest therein, or relating to any personal property not in his immediate possession or control. However, a minor's parent, grandparent, uncle, or aunt, if such person is an adult, an…

The disability of minority of any person otherwise eligible for guaranty or insurance of a loan pursuant to chapter 37 of Title 38, United States Code, and of the minor spouse of any eligible veteran irrespective of age, in connection with any transaction entered into pursuant to…

Except as specified in § 26-2-1 , a minor may make any other contract, subject only to his power of disaffirmance under the provisions of this title, and subject to the provisions of chapter 25-1 . Source: SDC 1939, § 43.0104.

A minor cannot disaffirm a contract, otherwise valid, to pay the reasonable value of things necessary for his support, or that of his family, entered into by him if not under the care of a parent or guardian or conservator able to provide for him or them. Source: SDC 1939, § 43.0…

A minor cannot disaffirm an obligation, otherwise valid, entered into by him under the express authority or direction of a statute. Source: SDC 1939, § 43.0107.

In all cases other than those specified in §§ 26-2-4 and 26-2-5 , the contract of a minor, if made while he is under the age of sixteen, may be disaffirmed by the minor himself, either before his majority or within one year's time afterwards; or in case of his death within that p…

Any person of the age of sixteen years may donate blood if the potential donor obtains the written consent of a parent or guardian. Any person of the age of seventeen years or over may donate blood without obtaining the consent of a parent or guardian. However, no person may take…

Payments made for the foster care of children under programs of the Department of Social Services shall not be subject to garnishment or other legal process by any creditor of the payee, except for necessaries furnished for the subsistence and maintenance of the child or children…

The Department of Social Services shall develop standards of care for children in public agencies and private organizations caring for dependent, neglected, delinquent, or mentally handicapped children. The secretary of social services may adopt reasonable and necessary rules set…

26-4-9. Repealed by SL 2014, ch 132 , § 2.

The Department of Social Services shall establish a program of adoption services. The secretary of social services may adopt reasonable and necessary rules for the operation of the program of adoption services including: (1) Program administration; (2) Adoptive applications and p…

This chapter may be cited as the Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. Source: SL 2005, ch 137 , § 1.

In this chapter: (1) "Abandoned" means left without provision for reasonable and necessary care or supervision. (2) "Child" means an individual who has not attained eighteen years of age. (3) "Child-custody determination" means a judgment, decree, or other order of a court provid…

This chapter does not govern an adoption proceeding or a proceeding pertaining to the authorization of emergency medical care for a child. Source: SL 2005, ch 137 , § 3.

(a) A child-custody proceeding that pertains to an Indian child as defined in the Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq., is not subject to this chapter to the extent that it is governed by the Indian Child Welfare Act. (b) A court of this state shall treat a tribe as…

(a) A court of this state shall treat a foreign country as if it were a state of the United States for the purpose of applying Articles 1 and 2. (b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), a child-custody determination made in a foreign country under factual circumstances…

A child-custody determination made by a court of this state that had jurisdiction under this chapter binds all persons who have been served in accordance with the laws of this state or notified in accordance with § 26-5B-108 or who have submitted to the jurisdiction of the court,…

If a question of existence or exercise of jurisdiction under this chapter is raised in a child-custody proceeding, the question, upon request of a party, must be given priority on the calendar and handled expeditiously. Source: SL 2005, ch 137 , § 7.

(a) Notice required for the exercise of jurisdiction when a person is outside this state may be given in a manner prescribed by the law of this state for service of process or by the law of the state in which the service is made. Notice must be given in a manner reasonably calcul…

(a) A party to a child-custody proceeding, including a modification proceeding, or a petitioner or respondent in a proceeding to enforce or register a child-custody determination, is not subject to personal jurisdiction in this state for another proceeding or purpose solely by re…

(a) A court of this state may communicate with a court in another state concerning a proceeding arising under this chapter. (b) The court may allow the parties to participate in the communication. If the parties are not able to participate in the communication, they must be given…

(a) In addition to other procedures available to a party, a party to a child-custody proceeding may offer testimony of witnesses who are located in another state, including testimony of the parties and the child, by deposition or other means allowable in this state for testimony …

(a) A court of this state may request the appropriate court of another state to: (1) Hold an evidentiary hearing; (2) Order a person to produce or give evidence pursuant to procedures of that state; (3) Order that an evaluation be made with respect to the custody of a child invol…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 26-5B-204 , a court of this state has jurisdiction to make an initial child-custody determination only if: (1) This state is the home state of the child on the date of the commencement of the proceeding, or was the home state of the child wit…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 26-5B-204 , a court of this state which has made a child-custody determination consistent with § 26-5B-201 or 26-5B-203 has exclusive, continuing jurisdiction over the determination until: (1) A court of this state determines that neither the…

Except as otherwise provided in § 26-5B-204 , a court of this state may not modify a child-custody determination made by a court of another state unless a court of this state has jurisdiction to make an initial determination under § 26-5B-201(a)(1) or (2) and: (1) The court of th…

(a) A court of this state has temporary emergency jurisdiction if the child is present in this state and the child has been abandoned or it is necessary in an emergency to protect the child because the child, or a sibling or parent of the child, is subjected to or threatened with…

(a) Before a child-custody determination is made under this chapter, notice and an opportunity to be heard in accordance with the standards of § 26-5B-108 must be given to all persons entitled to notice under the law of this state as in child-custody proceedings between residents…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 26-5B-204 , a court of this state may not exercise its jurisdiction under this article if, at the time of the commencement of the proceeding, a proceeding concerning the custody of the child has been commenced in a court of another state havi…

(a) A court of this state which has jurisdiction under this chapter to make a child-custody determination may decline to exercise its jurisdiction at any time if it determines that it is an inconvenient forum under the circumstances and that a court of another state is a more app…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 26-5B-204 , if a court of this state has jurisdiction under this chapter because a person seeking to invoke its jurisdiction has engaged in unjustifiable conduct, the court shall decline to exercise its jurisdiction unless: (1) The parents an…

(a) In a child-custody proceeding in this state, the court may order a party to the proceeding who is in this state to appear before the court in person with or without the child. The court may order any person who is in this state and who has physical custody or control of the c…

In this article: (1) "Petitioner" means a person who seeks enforcement of an order for return of a child under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction or enforcement of a child-custody determination. (2) "Respondent" means a person against whom …

Under this article a court of this state may enforce an order for the return of the child made under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction as if it were a child-custody determination. Source: SL 2005, ch 137 , § 24.

(a) A court of this state shall recognize and enforce a child-custody determination of a court of another state if the latter court exercised jurisdiction in substantial conformity with this chapter or the determination was made under factual circumstances meeting the jurisdictio…

(a) A court of this state which does not have jurisdiction to modify a child-custody determination, may issue a temporary order enforcing: (1) A visitation schedule made by a court of another state; or (2) The visitation provisions of a child-custody determination of another stat…

(a) A child-custody determination issued by a court of another state may be registered in this state, with or without a simultaneous request for enforcement, by sending to the appropriate court in this state: (1) A letter or other document requesting registration; (2) Two copies,…

(a) A court of this state may grant any relief normally available under the law of this state to enforce a registered child-custody determination made by a court of another state. (b) A court of this state shall recognize and enforce, but may not modify, except in accordance with…

If a proceeding for enforcement under this article is commenced in a court of this state and the court determines that a proceeding to modify the determination is pending in a court of another state having jurisdiction to modify the determination under Article 2, the enforcing co…

(a) A petition under this article must be verified. Certified copies of all orders sought to be enforced and of any order confirming registration must be attached to the petition. A copy of a certified copy of an order may be attached instead of the original. (b) A petition for e…

Except as otherwise provided in § 26-5B-311 , the petition and order must be served, by any method authorized by the state statute, upon respondent and any person who has physical custody of the child. Source: SL 2005, ch 137 , § 31.

(a) Unless the court issues a temporary emergency order pursuant to § 26-5B-204 , upon a finding that a petitioner is entitled to immediate physical custody of the child, the court shall order that the petitioner may take immediate physical custody of the child unless the respond…

(a) Upon the filing of a petition seeking enforcement of a child-custody determination, the petitioner may file a verified application for the issuance of a warrant to take physical custody of the child if the child is immediately likely to suffer serious physical harm or be remo…

(a) The court shall award the prevailing party, including a state, necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by or on behalf of the party, including costs, communication expenses, attorney's fees, investigative fees, expenses for witnesses, travel expenses, and child care during…

A court of this state shall accord full faith and credit to an order issued by another state and consistent with this chapter which enforces a child-custody determination by a court of another state unless the order has been vacated, stayed, or modified by a court having jurisdic…

An appeal may be taken from a final order in a proceeding under this article in accordance with expedited appellate procedures in other civil cases. Unless the court enters a temporary emergency order under § 26-5B-204 , the enforcing court may not stay an order enforcing a child…