A victim or a law enforcement officer may request in writing to the state’s attorney that the defendant or the juvenile be tested for blood-borne pathogen infection by the Department of Health and that a search warrant be obtained for the purpose of taking a blood sample from the defendant or the juvenile for testing for such infection. The written request shall state that the victim or law enforcement officer believes there was an exchange of blood, semen, or other bodily fluids from the defendant or the juvenile to the victim or law enforcement officer and shall state the factual basis for believing there was such an exchange. The court shall hold a hearing at which both the victim or law enforcement officer and the defendant or the juvenile may be present. If the court finds probable cause to believe that the defendant or the juvenile committed the offense and that there was an exchange of blood, semen, or other bodily fluids from the defendant or the juvenile to the victim or from the defendant or the juvenile to the law enforcement officer, the court may order a search warrant for the purpose of taking a blood sample from the defendant or the juvenile for testing for blood-borne pathogen infection. If the court orders a search warrant, the Department of Health shall initiate the test for blood-borne pathogen infection within forty-eight hours after the department receives the blood sample.

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Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 23A-35B-3

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • 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

Source: SL 1991, ch 203, § 2; SL 1992, ch 172, § 3; SL 1993, ch 184, § 3; SL 2009, ch 126, § 1.