Any merchant who is a licensee under this title, or the merchant’s employee, who has reasonable grounds to believe a person under the age of twentyone has illegally purchased, attempted to purchase, or possess alcoholic beverages or has misrepresented the person’s age with the use of any document for purposes of purchasing or attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages from the merchant or the merchant’s employee, may detain the person, on the premises of the merchant’s establishment, in a reasonable manner and for a reasonable length of time:

(1) To request identification;

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Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 35-9-2.1

  • 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) To verify the identification;

(3) To make reasonable inquiry as to whether the person has violated § 35-9-2;

(4) To inform a law enforcement officer of the detention of the person and surrender that person to the custody of a law enforcement officer; or

(5) In the case of a minor, to inform a law enforcement officer or the parents, guardian, or other private person interested in the welfare of that minor of this detention and to surrender custody of the minor to that person.

Source: SL 2000, ch 185, § 1.