Any allegation that a defendant is an habitual criminal shall be filed as a separate information at the time of, or before, arraignment. However, the court may, upon motion, permit the separate information to be filed after the arraignment, but no less than thirty days before the commencement of trial or entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendre. The information shall state the times, places, and specific crimes alleged to be prior convictions and shall be signed by the prosecutor. An official court record under seal or a criminal history together with fingerprints certified by the public official having custody thereof is sufficient to be admitted in evidence, without further foundation, to prove the allegation that the defendant is an habitual criminal.

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Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 22-7-11

  • Allegation: something that someone says happened.
  • Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • 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.
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
  • Seal: includes an impression of the seal upon the paper alone, as well as upon wax or a wafer affixed to the paper, and also the word "seal" written or printed on such paper. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-14-2
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

Source: SL 1959, ch 234; SDC Supp 1960, § 343009-1; SL 1961, ch 183; SDCL, § 23-32-9; SL 1976, ch 158, § 7-5; SL 2004, ch 147, § 1; SL 2005, ch 120, § 388.