South Dakota statute
SDCL § 23A-7-2 — (Rule 11(a)) Pleas permitted to defendant--Requirements for plea of guilty or nolo contendere
Current through text effective June 30, 2026 (through the 2025 Regular Session)
Part of Chapter 7: Arraignment And Pleas, South Dakota Codified Laws.
Full text of SDCL § 23A-7-2
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.
A defendant may plead:
(1) Not guilty;
(2) Not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity;
(3) Guilty;
(4) Nolo contendere; or
(5) Guilty but mentally ill.
Except as otherwise specifically provided, a plea of guilty or nolo contendere can only be entered by a defendant himself in open court. If a defendant refuses to plead, or if the court refuses to accept a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, the court shall enter a plea of not guilty. The court may not enter a judgment unless it is satisfied that there is a factual basis for any plea except a plea of nolo contendere.
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