<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 22-30A-16 - Ignorance and honest claim of right as affirmative defenses to theft. </title><meta name="Generator" content="PowerTools for Open XML" /><style>span { white-space: pre-wrap; } p.s2047598Normal { 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.s2047598SENU { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s2047598CL { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } p.s2047598Normal-000000 { 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.s2047598DefaultParagraphFont { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; padding: 0; } p.s2047598Normal-000001 { margin-left: 0.70in; text-indent: -0.45in; text-align: justify; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 108%; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: .001pt; } span.s2047598000002 { font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s2047598SCL { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s2047598SCL-000003 { 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="s2047598Normal"><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&amp;Statute=22-30A-16"><span class="s2047598SENU">22-30A-16</span></a><span xml:space="preserve" class="s2047598SENU">. </span><span class="s2047598CL">Ignorance and honest claim of right as affirmative defenses to theft.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2047598Normal-000000"><span class="s2047598DefaultParagraphFont">It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution for theft that the defendant:</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2047598Normal-000001"><span class="s2047598DefaultParagraphFont">(1)    Was unaware that the property taken was that of another; or</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2047598Normal-000001"><span class="s2047598DefaultParagraphFont">(2)    Acted under an honest and reasonable claim of right to the property involved or that the defendant had a right to acquire or dispose of the property as he or she did.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2047598Normal"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s2047598000002"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2047598Normal"><span class="s2047598SCL">Source:</span><span xml:space="preserve" class="s2047598SCL-000003"> SDC 1939, § 13.4009; SDCL, § 22-38-10; SL 1976, ch 158, § 30A-5; SL 1977, ch 189, § 62; SL 2005, ch 120, § 66.</span></p></div></body></html>