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Even for uncontested divorces, South Dakota law requires spouses to wait 60 days from the date you file the divorce paperwork until the judge can finalize the divorce. (S.D. Codified Laws §25-4-34.) The law doesn't require either spouse to attend a final divorce hearing for uncontested divorces.

The average cost of a divorce per person in the state, including court and lawyer fees, is $8,595 ? the 12th lowest among all states. Nationwide, the average cost of a divorce per person is $9,969. If children are involved, the average cost of a divorce per person in South Dakota increases to $11,754.

Under South Dakota law a divorce may be granted for any of these grounds: adultery, extreme cruelty (including bodily injury or grievous mental suffering), willful desertion, willful neglect, habitual intemperance, conviction of a felony, chronic mental illness or irreconcilable differences.

The average cost for a divorce in South Dakota is $1,500, though this can vary depending on the complexity of the case and the attorneys involved. There are also certain fees that must be paid to the court, such as a filing fee and a service of process fee.

South Dakota law requires courts to make an ?equitable division of property? during a divorce. This applies to all property owned by a married couple, both joint property and the individual property belonging to each spouse. It doesn't necessarily mean a split either.

South Dakota also has provisions for legal separation and separate maintenance, which can address property division and continued spousal support. An annulment is also an option.