South Dakota § 26-7A-1 - Definition of terms.

§ 26-7A-1. Definition of terms.

Terms used in this chapter and in chapters 26-8A, 26-8B, and 26-8C mean:

(1)    "Abused or neglected child," a child as defined in § 26-8A-2;

(2)    "Adjudicatory hearing," a hearing to determine whether the allegations of a petition alleging that a child is abused or neglected are supported by clear and convincing evidence or whether the allegations of a petition alleging a child to be in need of supervision or a delinquent are supported by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt;

(3)    "Adult," a person eighteen years of age or over, except any person under twenty-one years of age who is under the continuing jurisdiction of the court or who is before the court for an alleged delinquent act committed before the person's eighteenth birthday;

(4)    "Advisory hearing," the initial hearing conducted by the court to inform the child and the child's parents, guardian, custodian, or other interested parties of their statutory and constitutional rights;

(5)    "Association," an association, institution, or corporation which includes in its purposes the care or disposition of children coming within the provisions of this chapter or chapter 26-8A, 26-8B, or 26-8C;

(6)    "Child," a person less than eighteen years of age and any person under twenty-one years of age who is under the continuing jurisdiction of the court or who is before the court for an alleged delinquent act committed before the person's eighteenth birthday;

(7)    "Child in need of supervision," a child as defined in § 26-8B-2;

(8)    "Commit," to transfer custody of a person;

(9)    "Conservator," a conservator of a child as defined in § 29A-1-201;

(10)    "Court" or "juvenile court," the circuit court;

(11)    "Custodian," any foster parent, employee of a public or private residential home or facility, other person legally responsible for a child's welfare in a residential setting, or person providing in-home or out-of-home care; for purposes of this definition, out-of-home care means any day care as defined in §§ 26-6-14, 26-6-14.1, and 26-6-14.8;

(12)    "Delinquent child," a child as defined in § 26-8C-2;

(13)    "Department of Social Services" or "department," the South Dakota Department of Social Services;

(14)    "Deprivation of custody," transfer of custody of a child by the court from the child's parents, guardian, or other custodian to another person, agency, department, or institution;

(15)    "Detention," the temporary custody of a child in secured physically restricting facilities for children, sight and sound separated from adult prisoners;

(16)    "Detention facility," a secured, physically- restricting facility designed, staffed, and operated for children and separated by sight and sound from adult prisoners or a facility for children in the same building or secure perimeter as an adult jail or lockup, where children are sight and sound separated from adult prisoners, where staff in the detention facility are trained and certified by the entity operating facility to work with children, and the facility had been approved as a collocated facility by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention;

(17)    "Dispositional hearing," a hearing after adjudication at which the court makes an interim or final decision in the case;

(18)    "Guardian," a guardian of a child as defined in § 29A-1-201;

(19)    "Guardian ad litem," a representative of a child as defined in subdivision 15-6-17(c), including a court-appointed special advocate for a child;

(20)    "Intake officer," a judge of a circuit court or the court's designee who may not be a court services officer, law enforcement officer, or prosecuting attorney. For purposes of chapters 26-7A, 26-8A, 26-8B, and 26-8C, intake officers may administer oaths or affirmations as provided by chapter 18-3;

(21)    "Minor," a person who has not reached his or her eighteenth birthday;

(22)    "Parents," biological or adoptive parents of a child, including either parent, any single or surviving parent, and any custodial or noncustodial parent, jointly or severally;

(23)    "Protective supervision," a legal status created by court order under which an alleged or adjudicated abused or neglected child is permitted to remain in the home of the child's parents, guardian, or custodian or is placed with a relative or other suitable person and supervision and assistance is provided by the court, Department of Social Services, or another agency designated by the court;

(24)    "Qualified mental health professional," a person as defined in § 27A-1-3;

(25)    "Shelter," a physically-unrestricting home or facility for temporary care of a child;

(26)    "Temporary care," the care given to a child in temporary custody;

(27)    "Temporary custody," the physical and legal control of a child prior to final disposition.

Source: SDC 1939, § 43.0301 as enacted by SL 1968, ch 164, § 1; SL 1971, ch 166, § 1; SL 1973, ch 163, § 5; SL 1982, ch 200, § 1; SL 1989, ch 226, § 1; SL 1989, ch 228, § 1; SL 1990, ch 30, § 6; SL 1991, ch 217, §§ 10B, 85B; SDCL Supp, § 26-8-1; SL 1992, ch 183, § 4; SL 1993, ch 213, § 120; SL 1997, ch 158, § 1; SL 2001, ch 137, § 1; SL 2003, ch 149, § 1.