South Dakota legal term
Emotional dependency in South Dakota Criminal Law
Current through 2026 South Dakota legislative session
In South Dakota criminal law, “Emotional dependency” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the South Dakota criminal code.
What does “Emotional dependency” mean in South Dakota criminal law?
(1) "Emotional dependency," a condition of the patient brought about by the nature of the patient's own emotional condition or the nature of the treatment provided by the psychotherapist which is characterized by significant impairment of the patient's ability to withhold consent to sexual acts or contact with the psychotherapist and which the psychotherapist knows or has reason to know exists; (2) "Patient," any person who seeks or obtains psychotherapeutic services from a psychotherapist on a regular and ongoing basis; (3) "Psychotherapist," any physician, psychologist, nurse, chemical depen (SDCL § 22-22-27)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.