<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 25-4-45.5 - Consideration of domestic abuse and assault conviction in custody award. </title><meta name="Generator" content="PowerTools for Open XML" /><style>span { white-space: pre-wrap; } p.s2049849Normal { 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.s2049849SENU { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s2049849CL { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } p.s2049849Normal-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.s2049849DefaultParagraphFont { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; padding: 0; } p.s2049849Normal-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.s2049849000002 { font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s2049849SCL { font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; } span.s2049849SCL-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="s2049849Normal"><a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&amp;Statute=25-4-45.5"><span class="s2049849SENU">25-4-45.5</span></a><span xml:space="preserve" class="s2049849SENU">. </span><span class="s2049849CL">Consideration of domestic abuse and assault conviction in custody award.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2049849Normal-000000"><span class="s2049849DefaultParagraphFont">In awarding custody involving a minor, the court shall consider:</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2049849Normal-000001"><span class="s2049849DefaultParagraphFont">(1)    A conviction of domestic abuse as defined in subdivision 25-10-1(1); or</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2049849Normal-000001"><span class="s2049849DefaultParagraphFont">(2)    A conviction of assault against a person as defined in subdivision 25-10-1(2), except against any person related by consanguinity, but not living in the same household; or</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2049849Normal-000001"><span class="s2049849DefaultParagraphFont">(3)    A history of domestic abuse.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2049849Normal"><span class="s2049849DefaultParagraphFont">The conviction or history of domestic abuse creates a rebuttable presumption that awarding custody to the abusive parent is not in the best interest of the minor. A history of domestic abuse may only be proven by greater convincing force of the evidence.</span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2049849Normal"><span xml:space="preserve" class="s2049849000002"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" class="s2049849Normal"><span class="s2049849SCL">Source:</span><span xml:space="preserve" class="s2049849SCL-000003"> SL 1997, ch 156, § 1; SL 2008, ch 122, § 1.</span></p></div></body></html>