An applicant may be eligible for admission without examination if the applicant:

(a) Meets the requirements of § 16-16-2;

Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 16-16-12.1

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • 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.

(b) Furnishes satisfactory evidence of graduation from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, and;

(c) Provides documentary evidence showing that for three (3) of the last five (5) years immediately preceding the application for admission without examination, the applicant, as principal occupation, has been actively, continuously, and lawfully engaged in the practice of law, in a state or states that allow South Dakota attorneys substantially similar admission without examination, as:

(1) A sole practitioner;

(2) A member of a law firm, professional corporation or association;

(3) A judge in a court of record;

(4) An attorney for any local or state governmental entity;

(5) Inside counsel for a corporation, agency, association or trust department; and/or,

(6) An attorney with the federal government or a federal governmental agency including service as a member of the Judge Advocate General Department of one of the military branches of the United States.

Source: SL 2004, ch 324 (Supreme Court Rule 03-23), eff. Jan. 1, 2004; SL 2015, ch 272 (Supreme Court Rule 15-10), eff. July 1, 2015; SL 2019, ch 230 (Supreme Court Rule 19-09), eff. Feb. 25, 2019.