South Dakota Codified Laws 26-7A-88. Examination, investigation, and reports of adjudicated child before final disposition
After adjudication of a child as an abused or neglected child, a child in need of supervision or a delinquent child and before final disposition of the case, the court may require the following examinations and investigations and reports of them:
(1) The court may order the child’s parents, guardian, custodian, any other party respondent, or any relative of the child who might be considered as a potential caretaker of the child on disposition to submit to psychological, psychiatric or medical examination and evaluation by a qualified mental health professional or physician and submit the report to the court. The order may be issued by the court on the motion of the state, the child, any interested party, or on the court’s own motion. The order directing the examination and evaluation shall state the time, place, manner, conditions, and scope of the examination and evaluation to be made and the person or persons by whom it is to be made; and
Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 26-7A-88
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Person: includes natural persons, partnerships, associations, cooperative corporations, limited liability companies, and corporations. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-14-2
(2) The court may order homestudy investigations and reports of the investigations submitted to the court concerning the child’s parents, guardian, custodian, any other party respondent, or relative of the child who might be a potential caretaker of the child on disposition. The order for a homestudy investigation and a report of the investigation shall generally state the conditions and scope of the investigation considered necessary or appropriate by the court under the circumstances.
Reports received by the court pursuant to this section may be released by the court to attorneys of record for the parties and may be received by the court as evidence in the dispositional phase of the proceeding.
Source: SL 1991, ch 217, § 78.