Any person who attempts to influence a juror, or any person summoned or drawn as a juror, or chosen an arbitrator or appointed a referee, in respect to any verdict or decision in any cause or matter pending, or about to be brought before such person:

(1) By means of any communication, oral or written, had with such person, except in the regular course of proceedings upon the trial of the cause;

Attorney's Note

Under the South Dakota Laws, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class 6 felonyup to 2 yearsup to $4,000
For details, see § 22-6-1

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Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 22-12A-12

  • Juror: A person who is on the jury.
  • Person: includes natural persons, partnerships, associations, cooperative corporations, limited liability companies, and corporations. 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.
  • written: include typewriting and typewritten, printing and printed, except in the case of signatures, and where the words are used by way of contrast to typewriting and printing. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-14-2

(2) By means of any book, paper, or instrument exhibited otherwise than in the regular course of proceedings upon the trial of the cause; or

(3) By publishing any statement, argument, or observation relating to the cause;

is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Source: SDC 1939, § 13.1207; SDCL, § 16-15-10; SL 1976, ch 158, § 11-11; SDCL, § 22-11-16; SL 2005, ch 120, §§ 211, 217.