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South Dakota criminal charge

Protection order in South Dakota

Current through 2026 South Dakota legislative session

Protection order is a criminal offense under South Dakota law, defined by SDCL § 22-19A-16. Its classification is not fixed: South Dakota assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by SDCL § 22-19A-16.

What is the penalty for protection order in South Dakota?

Penalties for Protection order
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prisonup to 1 year (Violation of protection order (basic) — Respondent or person restrained knowingly violates a temporary protection order or protection order.; county jail)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-2
Fineup to $2,000 (Violation of protection order (basic) — Respondent or person restrained knowingly violates a temporary protection order or protection order.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-2
Jail / prisonup to 2 years (Third offense within ten years — Third violation of this section (or related statutes) within ten years, occurring after the second conviction or plea.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Fineup to $4,000 (Third offense within ten years — Third violation of this section (or related statutes) within ten years, occurring after the second conviction or plea.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Jail / prisonup to 5 years (Fourth offense within ten years — Fourth violation of this section (or related statutes) within ten years, occurring after the second conviction or plea.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Fineup to $10,000 (Fourth offense within ten years — Fourth violation of this section (or related statutes) within ten years, occurring after the second conviction or plea.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Jail / prisonup to 10 years (Fifth or subsequent offense within ten years — Fifth or subsequent violation of this section (or related statutes) within ten years, occurring after the second conviction or plea.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Fineup to $20,000 (Fifth or subsequent offense within ten years — Fifth or subsequent violation of this section (or related statutes) within ten years, occurring after the second conviction or plea.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1

Applies to current.

How is protection order classified in South Dakota?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Protection order
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Violation of protection order (basic)Class 1 MisdemeanorRespondent or person restrained knowingly violates a temporary protection order or protection order.SDCL § 22-19A-16undefined
Third offense within ten yearsClass 6 FelonyThird violation of this section (or related statutes) within ten years, occurring after the second conviction or plea.SDCL § 22-19A-16undefined
Fourth offense within ten yearsClass 5 FelonyFourth violation of this section (or related statutes) within ten years, occurring after the second conviction or plea.SDCL § 22-19A-16undefined
Fifth or subsequent offense within ten yearsClass 4 FelonyFifth or subsequent violation of this section (or related statutes) within ten years, occurring after the second conviction or plea.SDCL § 22-19A-16undefined

Common questions about protection order in South Dakota

Is protection order a felony or a misdemeanor in South Dakota?

It depends on the circumstances: protection order ranges from a Class 1 Misdemeanor to a Class 4 Felony in South Dakota under SDCL § 22-19A-16.

Violation of protection order (basic): Class 1 Misdemeanor (SDCL § 22-19A-16) · Third offense within ten years: Class 6 Felony (SDCL § 22-19A-16) · Fourth offense within ten years: Class 5 Felony (SDCL § 22-19A-16) · Fifth or subsequent offense within ten years: Class 4 Felony (SDCL § 22-19A-16)

What are the penalties for protection order in South Dakota?

Penalties for protection order in South Dakota depend on how it is classified — from a Class 1 Misdemeanor up to a Class 4 Felony — with the ranges set by SDCL § 22-6-2 and SDCL § 22-6-1; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which South Dakota statute covers protection order?

Protection order is governed by SDCL § 22-19A-16 (Protection order--Violation--Penalty).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.