<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta charset="UTF-8" /><meta http-equiv='content-language' content='en-us'/><title>SDLRC - Codified Law 19-19-601 - Competency to testify in general. </title><meta name="Generator" content="PowerTools for Open XML" /><style>span { white-space: pre-wrap; } p.s2045455Normal { margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0; text-align: justify; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 108%; margin-left: 0; margin-right: 0; } span.s2045455SENU { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s2045455CL { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } p.s2045455Normal-000000 { margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0; text-indent: 0.50in; text-align: justify; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 108%; margin-left: 0; margin-right: 0; } span.s2045455DefaultParagraphFont { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s2045455000001 { font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s2045455SCL { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s2045455SCL-000002 { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; padding: 0; } body { text-decoration-skip-ink: none; } </style></head><body><div><p dir="ltr" class="s2045455Normal"><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&amp;Statute=19-19-601"><span class="s2045455SENU">19-19-601</span></a><span xml:space="preserve" class="s2045455SENU">. </span><span class="s2045455CL">Competency to testify in general.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2045455Normal-000000"><span class="s2045455DefaultParagraphFont">Every person is competent to be a witness unless otherwise provided in this chapter.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2045455Normal"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s2045455000001"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2045455Normal"><span class="s2045455SCL">Source:</span><span xml:space="preserve" class="s2045455SCL-000002"> SL 1979, ch 358 (Supreme Court Rule 78-2, Rule 601); SDCL § </span><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&amp;Statute=19-14-1"><span class="s2045455SCL-000002">19-14-1</span></a><span xml:space="preserve" class="s2045455SCL-000002">; SL 2016, ch 239 (Supreme Court Rule </span><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&amp;Statute=15-35"><span class="s2045455SCL-000002">15-35</span></a><span class="s2045455SCL-000002">), eff. Jan. 1, 2016.</span></p></div></body></html>