The South Dakota laws that direct how custody works in the state are found in Chapter 25-4 of the South Dakota Codified Laws. Within these laws, parents can find the necessary guidelines for creating an implementing a custody and visitation schedule. Since the custody schedule is such an important result of the custody proceeding, parents want to do everything they can to make sure that the court will accept it. Here are some of the laws that parents should know that affect the custody schedule.
1. No preference for custody. Chapter 25-4-45 makes it very clear that the state has no preference for either parent regarding custody. The mother and father both have an equal chance to be the custodial parent. Thus, when a parent shows the custody schedule to the court, there need to be valid reasons why that schedule is the best one for the child. The court will want to know how they schedule fulfills the child’s needs, promotes the child’s welfare, etc.
2. The best interest of the child. Chapter 25-4-45 also explains that all custody matters must be settled in a way that benefits the child. Everything in the visitation schedule should be in the child’s best moral, mental, and physical best interest. Parents should think about what their child needs and make the schedule accordingly.
3. The child’s preference. The law specifies that as a child gets older, the child has more say in the custody and visitation schedule. The court will listen to the opinions and desires of a child regarding custody matters, and more weight is given to a more mature child. Parents can seek the opinion of the children when making the schedule. They should consider their children’s wishes as they make the schedule and they should talk to them about why they are putting certain things in the schedule, especially if they aren’t following the child’s wishes.
4. Factors that influence who gets custody. Chapter 25-4-45.5 and 45.6 contain some of the factors that the court does and does not consider when deciding which parent gets custody and how the parents will work out visitation. If a parent has been convicted of domestic abuse or other crimes, that parent may not be awarded any visitation in the agreement. There is the possibility for supervised visitation if a parent shows that they want to change. If a parent has been convicted of the death of the other parent they will also not receive visitation or custody.
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South Dakota is a popular destination for tourists and vacationers, especially during the winter and summer season. In the winter, popular activities include, skiing, sledding, snowshoeing and snow tubing among others. During the summer, favorite activities include hiking, gliding and various water sports.
Geography of South Dakota
South Dakota is located in the North central part of the United States and is considered as a part of the Midwest. The great plain covers most of the regions of the state. South Dakota is also considered as part of the West. A river called the Missouri River stretches through the central part of the region.
South Dakota has a land area totaling up to 77,116 square miles, making it the seventeenth largest state in the union. The longest and largest river in the state is the Missouri River. Other South Dakota rivers include the James, White, Cheyenne and the Big Sioux.
It also have numerous natural lakes mostly found in the state’s eastern portion. The dams along the Missouri River are results of four gigantic reservoirs. These reservoirs include Lake Sharpe, Lewis Lake, Clark Lake and Lake Oahe. However, it is also noted that the Francis Case also contributes to this.
Climate
The Climate of South Dakota is described as continental. It has four distinct seasons that would range from hot summers to very cold winters. During the summer season, the average temperature of the state is nearly ninety degrees Fahrenheit. In South Dakota, it is not that unusual to have severe hot and dry spells, especially during the summer when temperatures rise above one hundred degrees Fahrenheit.
It also has an average annual precipitation ranging from semi arid to the north western part of the state, which is around fifteen inches or equivalent to three hundred eighty one millimeters. It is common to have semi humid conditions in some parts of the southeast region of the state. That is around 25 inches or 635 millimeters. There is a tiny area centered along the Black Hills and this has the highest recorded precipitation, going up to nearly 30 inches or 762 millimeters every year.
Attractions
South Dakota is also home to several National Parks and Monuments. Their National Park Service are responsible for protecting these attractions for the sake of tourism and for future generations. It has two established National Parks, both of which are situated in the state’s south western regions.
The “Badlands National Park” was established in 1978 and features a brightly colored, highly eroded landscape surrounded by grasslands. Another attraction is the Wind Cave. It is also a National Park. It was established in the year 1903, also along the Black Hills. It contains a very extensive network as well as large herds of bison.