26-7A-3. Venue of dependency and delinquency proceedings--Transfer of proceedings.

Proceedings in actions under this chapter or chapter 26-8A, 26-8B, or 26-8C shall be commenced in the county in which the child resides or is present or in which an alleged violation of law, ordinance, or court order occurred.

Before or after commencement of proceedings in a county other than the county of the child's residence and prior to adjudication, the court in which the proceedings are initiated may, on motion of the state's attorney, transfer the proceedings to the court of the county of the child's residence if the initial court finds that a transfer would be in the best interests of the child. If the proceedings are transferred, the initial court making the transfer shall transmit all records, files, and reports to the receiving court and the receiving court shall proceed as if the proceedings had been originally commenced in that court.

Source: SL 1968, ch 164, § 3; SL 1991, ch 217, § 2B; SDCL, § 26-7-1.1.