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The ?best interests of the child" are the primary concern. South Dakota law encourages joint custody between parents. Courts determining custody arrangements are also able to modify or vacate their decisions at any time, allowing for continued supervision of a child and their parents.

South Dakota child custody laws don't prescribe a certain age when a child's preference may be considered. Judges have broad discretion when deciding how much weight to give the child's preference. In some South Dakota custody cases, judges have considered the well-reasoned preferences of children as young as 10.

In order to legally change a name, you must file a Verified Petition for Name Change of a Minor Child form (UJS?030) with the Clerk of Court office in the county where you reside, provided you and the minor child have resided there for more than six months immediately before the filing of the verified petition.

Subject to the court's right to award custody of the child to either parent, considering the best interest of the child as to its temporal, mental, and moral welfare the father and mother of any minor child born in wedlock are equally entitled to the child's custody, service, and earnings.

If a custodial parent wants to move further away from the other parent, he or she will need to give the other parent written notice, which must meet specific requirements. The notice must be sent via certified mail to the other parent's last-known address no later than 45 days before the date of the proposed move.

In the State of South Dakota, the law does not discriminate or favor one parent over the other based on gender.