Where to Find Help
UPDATED March 14, 2007
To file for a protection order in South Dakota, go to the circuit courthouse in the county where you live, or where the abuser lives. Find the civil court clerk and request a petition and an affidavit for a final protection order, and also tell the clerk that you want a temporary protection order.
At the courthouse, the clerk will provide you with the forms that you need to file. If you need assistance filling out the form, ask the clerk for help. You will also find links to online forms at our Download Court Forms page (If you are applying for a stalking order, ask the court for the appropriate forms). You may also get help with the court system through one of the domestic violence organizations listed on our SD State and Local Programs page.
Listed below are telephone numbers and addresses for the clerks of the circuit courts in South Dakota. For information on the court system in South Dakota, go to www.state.sd.us/state/judicial.