<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en-US"><head><meta charset="UTF-8"><meta http-equiv='content-language' content='en-us'/><title>SDLRC - Codified Law 16-16A-4 - Participant admission to practice--Eligibility.</title><meta name="Generator" content="PowerTools for Open XML"><style>span { white-space: pre-wrap; } p.s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal { text-indent: 0.50in; text-align: justify; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 108%; margin-top: 0; margin-left: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: .001pt; } span.s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeSENU { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeCL { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; 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property="og:title" content="SD 16-16A-4 - Participant admission to practice--Eligibility."><meta property="og:description" content="SDLRC Codified Law 16-16A-4 - Participant admission to practice--Eligibility."><meta property="og:type" content="website"><meta property="og:url" content="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/16-16A-4"><meta property="og:image" content="https://lawmakerdocuments.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/photos/logoshape.webp"><meta property="og:site_name" content="South Dakota Legislature"></head><body><div><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal"><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes?Statute=16-16A-4" rel="noopener"><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeSENU">16-16A-4</span></a><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeSENU">. </span><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont">Participant a</span><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeCL">dmission to practice--Eligibility.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">Notwithstanding § </span><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes?Statute=16-16-6" rel="noopener"><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">16-16-6</span></a><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">, an applicant may obtain admission to practice as an attorney in this state through the public service pathway program if the applicant:</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68ee000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">1.    Meets the requirements set forth in § </span><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes?Statute=16-16-2" rel="noopener"><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">16-16-2</span></a><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">;</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68ee000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">2.    Complies with the criminal background investigation as required by § </span><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes?Statute=16-16-2.6" rel="noopener"><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">16-16-2.6</span></a><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">;</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68ee000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">3.    Provides evidence of graduation from the law school;</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68ee000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">4.    Provides evidence of successful completion of the public service pathway bar admission program through the law school;</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68ee000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">5.    Provides a portfolio of work demonstrating minimum competence to the satisfaction of the board;</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68ee000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">6.    Demonstrates competence in Indian law either through successful completion of a board-approved Indian law course at the law school with the testing option or successful completion of a one-question examination on Indian law offered by the board following an applicant s successful completion of the program;</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68ee000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">7.    Achieves a score of 85 or higher on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam; and</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68ee000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal-000002"><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">8.    Commits to providing at least two years of public service.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68ee000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont">Source: </span><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">SL 2025, ch 227</span><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont"> </span><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">(</span><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeSCL">Supreme Court Rule 25-01), eff. Feb. 21, 2025.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68ee000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont">Commission Note: </span><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">This section is effective until February 21, 2030, per § </span><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes?Statute=16-16A-12" rel="noopener"><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">16-16A-12</span></a><span class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeDefaultParagraphFont-000000">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68eeNormal"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s3fdfeee59dc442c08e928ecc409f68ee000001"> </span></p></div></body></html>