South Dakota statute
SDCL § 22-12-1 — Barratry--Misdemeanor
Current through text effective June 30, 2026 (through the 2025 Regular Session)
Part of Chapter 12: Abuse Of Judicial Process, South Dakota Codified Laws.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of SDCL § 22-12-1
Statutory text current through the text effective June 30, 2026 (through the 2025 Regular Session). This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of South Dakota.
Barratry is the offense of maliciously bringing or causing to be brought any groundless judicial proceeding. Barratry is a Class 2 misdemeanor. The fact that an accused was personally a party in interest or upon the record to any proceedings at law complained of is not a defense.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is barratry a felony or a misdemeanor in South Dakota?
Barratry is a Class 2 Misdemeanor in South Dakota under SDCL § 22-12-1.
Which South Dakota statute covers barratry?
Barratry is governed by SDCL § 22-12-1 (Barratry--Misdemeanor).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.