In the process of divorce, either the court or parents will make important decisions regarding what will happen with their children. This includes how the two parents will share parenting time, but it also includes how the parents will share financial responsibility for the kids. Each South Dakota parent must provide for his or her child financially until he or she reaches the age of 18. If one parent has the children most of the time, the other may have to pay child support. Child support is a regular payment made by one parent to help with child-related costs. As each family is different, th ..read more

There is no single perfect solution to child custody, and each family will benefit from making decisions that are uniquely suited to their individual situations. You want what’s best for your kids, and you want to make sure that your children have stability and security. For this reason and others, you may decide that it is best to choose shared parenting, often called joint custody, for your family. There are many benefits to parents sharing custody responsibilities, but there may also be some potential drawbacks as well. Before you make any decisions that could impact you and your family lon ..read more

Your financial interests are one of your main priorities during your divorce. It is critical to make decisions and negotiate terms that will allow you to have financial security and stability long-term. However, you will also want to ensure that your children have the support they need, even if you are not with them. If you are the higher-earning parent or the non-custodial parent, you may have to pay child support. You will benefit from learning what you can expect to pay and how you can seek terms that are fair and sustainable. As a parent, you want to ensure that your kids have stability an ..read more

Nothing can ruin an enjoyable evening out like seeing the flashing lights of a law enforcement vehicle in your rearview mirror. When you see the flashing lights, you know you must pull over, but you may not be sure what to do to protect yourself against whatever comes next. It may be helpful for you to learn about when police have a valid reason to make a suspected DUI traffic stop and what you can do if you experienced a violation of your rights.  A police officer cannot make a suspected DUI traffic stop simply because he or she wants to. The driver must be exhibiting certain behaviors b ..read more

One of the most difficult aspects of your divorce may be the fact that you will no longer live with your children full-time. You are an active and involved parent, and it could be important to you to remain as close as possible to the youngest members of your family. The terms of your custody and visitation order are critical as they will determine how often you are with your children and other aspects of your relationship with them.  Parents have the right to negotiate the terms of their custody and visitation order, if possible. This means you and the other parent can work together amic ..read more

Drunk driving charges have the potential to change your life. An arrest can result in the loss of your license and other complications, and a conviction can result in a permanent mark on your criminal record. If you are facing DUI charges in South Dakota, you are facing the possibility of time behind bars, loss of your personal reputation, expensive fines and much more. It is in your interests to know how to defend yourself and protect your future interests. It is important to identify the most effective defense strategy for your individual situation. Whether it is your first offense or you ha ..read more

If you are facing legal problems in connection with criminal charges for the first time in your life, you might be feeling anxious, stressed and somewhat afraid. These are all normal reactions to being arrested and charged with a crime. You’ll be glad to know that in South Dakota (and many other states) there are defense options that might be available to you, which would not be accessible to someone with a prior criminal record. For example, on a first offense, you might qualify for deferred adjudication. In several other states, this process in the criminal justice system is known as ”probat ..read more

If you think back to your time in medical school and all of the years and effort you put into studying and learning and preparing for a career in medicine, there may have been multiple occasions where you wondered if you’d make it through. Earning a license to practice medicine in South Dakota was likely one of the proudest moments of your life. However, various issues, such as facing DUI charges, can place your hard-earned license at risk. The term Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) refers to physicians or others who engage in hazardous activity under the influence of alcohol, such as driving while i ..read more

When parents divorce, the children can experience difficulty as they adjust to their new circumstances. The end of a marriage can change virtually everything about their lives, including where they live, which parents they live with and more. These are difficult changes, and as a parent, you want to do everything possible to ensure that they have what they need for emotional stability and as much continuity of lifestyle as possible during this difficult time. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to do this when the two parents are unable to reach a reasonable solution regarding child custody ..read more

You hopefully have been enjoying summer break with your kids, even if your family has experienced a major life change since school let out. Perhaps during this summer you decided that you’d rather move on in life than stay in an unhappy marriage. It’s not uncommon for South Dakota parents to divorce while their kids are home from school on summer break.   However, with a new school year just a week or so away in this state and many others, you’ll want to make sure that you and your co-parent have a plan in place that will help your kids make a smooth transition and will help you avoi ..read more