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8 Legal Grounds for Divorce In South Dakota

Did you know that South Dakota is the 5th easiest state to get a divorce?

That may be a good thing, or a bad thing depending on which side of the aisle you are standing on.

When you walk down the aisle and pledge your true love to that someone special, it's usually for life. Well, that doesn't always turn out that way.

Should you find yourself, and your spouse cutting the knot, there are grounds on which a divorce can be granted.

Under South Dakota law divorce may be granted for any of the following grounds:

READ MORE: Did you Know That South Dakota Used To Be The Divorce Capital Of The US?

The grounds of irreconcilable differences may be used only if both parties agree to use it or if there is a default.

When either party is served with the documents of divorce it's best to seek legal advice from someone who is a licensed attorney and has your best interest in mind.

Response to the complaint must be made within 30 days.

You've heard of messy divorce proceedings. That can be related to custody rights, property, court costs, and many other factors.

And depending on whether this is a contested or uncontested divorce, there is still a 60-day waiting period before it can become final after a judge rules on the union.

Dissolving your marriage is a life-changing event. Just like the event that started the relationship.

What Did South Dakota's License Plate Look Like the Year You Were Born?

The first number on a South Dakota license plate is the county that the car is registered. For example, Pennington county where Rapid City is has a '2' starting its plates. In Sioux Falls you have either a '1' or a '44' depending on your relationship to 57th street.

When established in 1956 (and revised in 1987) the first nine counties were ordered by population. Starting with 10 they are in alphabetical order through Ziebach, with Oglala Lakota County (65) and Todd (67) rounding out the list.

Today the top 10 plate numbers and populations don't correlate anymore. 1 and 2 are still 1 and 2, but Lincoln (44) is now 3rd in population. Beadle is 4 but it's now 11th in population. See the list by population here.

On January 1, 2023, South Dakota started issuing a new license plate design for license plates.

So, let's take a look back at what South Dakota license plates looked like over the last 100 years.


Did you know that South Dakota is the 5th easiest state to get a divorce? That may be a good thing, or a bad thing depending on which side of the aisle you are standing on.

When you walk down the aisle and pledge your true love to that someone special, it's usually for life. Well, that doesn't always turn out that way.

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Should you find yourself, and your spouse cutting the knot, there are grounds on which a divorce can be granted. The legal grounds in our state are defined below according to the State Bar of South Dakota:

Under South Dakota law divorce may be granted for any of the following grounds:

  • Adultery
  • Extreme cruelty (including bodily injury or grievous mental suffering)
  • Willful desertion
  • Willful neglect
  • Habitual intemperance (Being a drunk)
  • Conviction of a felony
  • Chronic mental illness
  • irreconcilable differences

The grounds of irreconcilable differences may be used only if both parties agree to use it or if there is a default.

When either party is served with the documents of divorce it's best to seek legal advice from someone who is a licensed attorney and has your best interest in mind.

Response to the complaint must be made within 30 days.

You've heard of messy divorce proceedings. That can be related to custody rights, property, court costs, and many other factors.

And depending on this being a contested or uncontested divorce, there is still a 60 day waiting period before it can become final after a judge rules on the union.

Dissolving your marriage is a life-changing event. Just like the event that started the relationship.

 

 

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