If any person engages in conduct prohibited or made actionable by this chapter or any rule or order hereunder, and the person has not filed a consent to service of process and personal jurisdiction over the person cannot otherwise be obtained in this state, that conduct is equivalent to the person’s appointment of the director of the Division of Insurance or the director’s successor in office to be the person’s attorney to receive service of any lawful process in any noncriminal suit, action, or proceeding against the person or the person’s successor or personal representative which grows out of that conduct and which is brought under this chapter or any rule or order hereunder with the same force and validity as if served on the person personally. Service may be made by leaving a copy of the process in the office of the director and it is not effective unless:

(1) The plaintiff in a suit, action, or proceeding instituted by the director, sends notice of the service and a copy of the process forthwith by registered mail to the defendant‘s or respondent’s last known address or takes other steps which are reasonably calculated to give actual notice; and

Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 37-25A-41

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Person: includes natural persons, partnerships, associations, cooperative corporations, limited liability companies, and corporations. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-14-2
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.

(2) The plaintiff’s affidavit of compliance with this section is filed in the case on or before the return day of the process, if any, or within such further time as the court allows.

Source: SL 1985, ch 305, § 41; SL 1995, ch 167, § 188; SL 2017, ch 231 (Ex. Ord. 17-2), § 19, eff. Apr. 13, 2017.