South Dakota Notice of Appearance
NOTICE OF APPEARANCE
State of South Dakota — Circuit Court
1. COURT HEADER AND CASE CAPTION
STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA
IN CIRCUIT COURT
Judicial Circuit: [____] Judicial Circuit
County: [________________________________]
| Case No.: | [________________________________] |
| Judge: | [________________________________] |
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| [PLAINTIFF NAME], | Plaintiff |
| v. | |
| [DEFENDANT NAME], | Defendant |
NOTICE OF APPEARANCE
2. PARTY INFORMATION
Appearing on behalf of:
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Party Name | [________________________________] |
| Party Role | ☐ Plaintiff ☐ Defendant ☐ Third-Party Plaintiff ☐ Third-Party Defendant ☐ Intervenor ☐ Cross-Claimant ☐ Counter-Claimant ☐ Respondent ☐ Petitioner ☐ Other: [________________________________] |
| Number of Parties Represented | [____] |
Additional Parties Represented (if applicable):
| Party Name | Party Role |
|---|---|
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
3. ATTORNEY INFORMATION
The undersigned attorney provides the contact information used for this filing under SDCL § 15-6-11(a):
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Attorney Name | [________________________________] |
| South Dakota Bar Number / pro hac vice order | [________________________________] |
| Law Firm Name | [________________________________] |
| Street Address | [________________________________] |
| City, State, ZIP | [CITY], [STATE] [ZIP] |
| Mailing Address (if different) | [________________________________] |
| Telephone | [________________________________] |
| Facsimile | [________________________________] |
| Email Address | [________________________________] |
Additional Attorneys (if applicable):
| Attorney Name | SD Bar No. / pro hac vice order | Firm | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [________________________________] | [________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
| [________________________________] | [________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
4. TYPE OF APPEARANCE
The undersigned enters an appearance as follows (select all that apply):
☐ General Appearance — Representation in this action
☐ Initial Appearance — First appearance on behalf of the party
☐ Substitution of Counsel — Replacing [PRIOR COUNSEL]; identify any order or stipulation concerning prior counsel: [DATE / DOCKET NUMBER]
☐ Additional Counsel — Appearing as co-counsel alongside current counsel of record [________________________________]
☐ Limited Scope Appearance — Appearance limited as described in Section 9, subject to S.D. R. Prof'l Conduct 1.2(c)
☐ Pro Hac Vice Appearance — Out-of-state counsel admitted by court order dated [DATE] under SDCL § 16-18-2 (see Section 8)
☐ Guardian Ad Litem / Court-Appointed Counsel — Appointed by order dated [__/__/____]
5. APPEARANCE STATEMENT
COMES NOW [ATTORNEY NAME], [SOUTH DAKOTA BAR NUMBER / PRO HAC VICE ORDER], of [FIRM], and hereby enters an appearance on behalf of [PARTY NAME], [PARTY ROLE], in the above-captioned matter. [If appearing under a pro hac vice order or with a limited scope, identify the order or scope here.]
The undersigned requests that papers requiring service be served at the contact information in Section 3 under SDCL § 15-6-5(b).
6. CIVIL CASE FILING STATEMENT
SDCL § 15-6-5(h) requires a completed civil case filing statement when a party or attorney files a notice of appearance. File the separate UJS-232 statement with this notice. The statement contains identifying information and is handled as a nonpublic filing under the rule; do not put Social Security or driver's license numbers in this notice.
☐ Completed UJS-232 Case Filing Statement submitted with this Notice of Appearance.
Official form: https://ujs.sd.gov/files/ujs-232-case-filing-statement/
7. SERVICE CONTACTS
SDCL § 15-6-5(b) presumes service on attorneys of record when documents are filed or served electronically through Odyssey®, unless the court orders otherwise. It also permits service of documents not filed with the court by the methods listed in that rule. Enter counsel's designated email address for service:
Primary email: [EMAIL] Additional email: [EMAIL]
This section does not waive any service requirement for an unrepresented party. Check the separate methods in SDCL § 15-6-5(b) for that party.
8. PRO HAC VICE STATUS (IF APPLICABLE)
A nonresident attorney uses the separate sworn motion and associated resident-counsel motion required by SDCL § 16-18-2. This notice records an appearance only after the court grants admission for this case.
Court order date: [DATE] Associated South Dakota counsel: [NAME / BAR NUMBER]
9. LIMITED SCOPE (IF APPLICABLE)
Under S.D. R. Prof'l Conduct 1.2(c), counsel may limit the scope of representation if the limitation is reasonable under the circumstances and the client gives informed consent. Describe the specific matter covered by this appearance and identify any court order addressing its scope:
Matter or event covered: [DESCRIBE] Order, if any: [DATE / DOCKET NUMBER]
Matters excluded: [DESCRIBE]
For any later withdrawal or change in appearance, follow the applicable court procedure and S.D. R. Prof'l Conduct 1.16(c). Check the docket before treating this appearance as ended.
10. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I, [NAME], certify that on [DATE], I served a copy of this Notice of Appearance under SDCL §§ 15-6-5(a) and 15-6-5(b) on the persons listed below. For a represented party, record service on counsel; for an unrepresented party, use a method allowed by subsection (b)(5).
| Name | Address / Email | Method |
|---|---|---|
| [NAME / COUNSEL] | [ADDRESS / EMAIL] | [METHOD AND DATE] |
| [NAME / COUNSEL] | [ADDRESS / EMAIL] | [METHOD AND DATE] |
| [NAME / COUNSEL] | [ADDRESS / EMAIL] | [METHOD AND DATE] |
| [NAME / COUNSEL] | [ADDRESS / EMAIL] | [METHOD AND DATE] |
11. SIGNATURE BLOCK
Dated: [__/__/____]
[________________________________]
(Law Firm Name)
By: ______________________________________
[________________________________]
SD Bar No. / pro hac vice order: [________________________________]
[________________________________] (Street Address)
[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]
Telephone: [________________________________]
Facsimile: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Attorney for [________________________________]
12. FILING NOTES
- File the signed notice and separate completed UJS-232 statement with the clerk through the Odyssey® electronic filing system under SDCL §§ 15-6-5(e) and 15-6-5(h), unless a rule or court order supplies an exception. Check the current UJS electronic filing page for the portal and submission instructions: https://ujs.sd.gov/electronic-filing/.
- Serve counsel of record through the methods allowed by SDCL § 15-6-5(b). Service on an unrepresented party follows the separate subsection (b)(5) methods. Record the actual recipient and method in the certificate above.
- If this is a change in counsel, confirm the court's action on the prior lawyer's withdrawal or substitution. Rule 1.16(c) requires compliance with applicable tribunal notice or permission law.
- If a response period runs after mail service, SDCL § 15-6-6(e) adds three days; that provision does not treat fax or email as mail.
SOURCES
- SDCL §§ 15-6-5(a), (b), (e), (h), 15-6-11(a), and 15-6-6(e): https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/Statute/15-6-5(a) ; https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/Statute/15-6-5(b) ; https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/Statute/15-6-5(e) ; https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/Statute/15-6-5(h) ; https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/Statute/15-6-11(a) ; https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/Statute/15-6-6(e)
- SDCL § 16-18-2 and Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2(c), 1.16(c): https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/Statute/16-18-2 ; https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/16-18-A.html?all=true
- UJS-232 Case Filing Statement: https://ujs.sd.gov/files/ujs-232-case-filing-statement/
- UJS electronic filing: https://ujs.sd.gov/electronic-filing/
About this template
- Last updated
- October 6, 2026
- Citations checked
- October 6, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- South Dakota
- Category
- Litigation & Court Documents
Legal authority
- SDCL § 15-6-5(a) (service of written notices and papers)
- SDCL § 15-6-5(b) (service methods)
- SDCL § 15-6-5(e) (Odyssey electronic filing)
- SDCL § 15-6-5(h) (civil case filing statements)
- SDCL § 15-6-11(a) (signature and contact information)
- SDCL § 15-6-6(e) (mail-service timing)
- SDCL § 16-18-2 (nonresident pro hac vice admission)
- S.D. R. Prof'l Conduct 1.2(c) (reasonable limited scope with informed consent)
- S.D. R. Prof'l Conduct 1.16(c) (tribunal notice or permission where applicable)
- UJS-232 Case Filing Statement
- South Dakota UJS Electronic Filing
These are the filings that drive a lawsuit through the system: complaints, answers, motions, briefs, discovery requests and responses, and post-judgment papers. Each has its own format requirements under federal and state procedural rules, and each has a deadline that cannot be missed without consequences. Clean, procedurally correct filings move a case forward; sloppy ones invite motions to strike, amended responses, and avoidable delays.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on October 6, 2026.
SDCL § 15-6-5(a) (checked October 6, 2026): "every written motion other than one which may be heard ex parte, and every written brief, notice, appearance, demand, offer of judgment, and similar paper shall be served upon each of the parties."
SDCL § 15-6-5(b) (checked October 6, 2026): "Unless otherwise ordered by the court or provided by rule, whenever this chapter requires or permits service to be made upon a party represented by an attorney, the service shall be made upon the attorney."
SDCL § 15-6-5(e) (checked October 6, 2026): "Except as specifically exempted by these rules or court order, the filing of pleadings and other papers with the court as required by this chapter must be made through the Odyssey® electronic filing system with the clerk of the court."
SDCL § 15-6-5(h) (checked October 6, 2026): "Whenever a party or an attorney representing a party commences a civil action, files a notice of appearance, or files an answer or first responsive pleading in a civil action, the party or attorney representing the party shall file a completed civil case filing statement containing identifying information available to that party or attorney regarding all parties, including the adverse party, with the clerk of the court."
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