South Dakota Pleading Paper Template
South Dakota court filings follow SDCL 15-6-10: white, unglazed, opaque paper 8 1/2 by 11 inches, printed on one side only, type no smaller than 12 point, and pages numbered consecutively at the bottom center. No numbered pleading-paper lines.
Introduction
In South Dakota, court documents are not numbered-line pleading paper but plain paper with a caption set by the state's rules of court, as explained below. South Dakota court filings are governed by SDCL 15-6-10 (Rule 10, Form of pleadings), which sets unusually specific paper and printing rules. Pleadings must be on one side only of white, unglazed, opaque paper of good texture, eight and one-half inches wide and eleven inches long, in type no smaller than 12 point or hand printed in a clear and legible manner. If a document runs more than one page, the pages must be numbered consecutively at the bottom center. South Dakota is not a numbered-line pleading-paper state, so do not look for consecutive line numbers running down the left margin. The distinctive demand here is the paper specification and the one-sided, bottom-center-numbered layout. A filing on glazed paper, on both sides of the page, in an 11-point font, or with page numbers in the wrong place can be rejected by the clerk, which wastes filing time and can put a deadline at risk. This page covers what SDCL 15-6-10 actually requires for the paper, the type, the caption, and page numbering, and notes that attorneys must file electronically through the Unified Judicial System. DocDraft drafts your document on properly formatted South Dakota court format from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
Key Things to Know
- 1
Pleadings must be on white, unglazed, opaque paper of good texture, eight and one-half inches wide and eleven inches long, printed on one side only (SDCL 15-6-10(e)).
- 2
Type must be no smaller than 12 point, or the document may be hand printed in a clear and legible manner (SDCL 15-6-10(e)).
- 3
Documents of more than one page must be numbered consecutively at the bottom center of each page (SDCL 15-6-10(e)).
- 4
Every paper carries a caption similar to that of the summons, with the particular paper's designation substituted for the word Summons; the summons and complaint caption names all parties (SDCL 15-6-10(a)).
- 5
South Dakota is not a numbered-line pleading-paper state. SDCL 15-6-10 does not require consecutive line numbers down the left margin.
- 6
Electronic filing is mandatory statewide for attorneys; self-represented litigants may file electronically but are not required to do so, under the Unified Judicial System e-filing rules (SDCL Title 16, Ch. 21A).
- 7
SDCL 15-6-10 fixes the paper, type, and page numbering but does not state a specific margin width, so margins follow your local court's rules and the UJS e-filing standards.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Pleading Paper in South Dakota, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Pleading Paper guide walks through them.
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South Dakota Requirements for Pleading Paper
Use white, unglazed, opaque paper of good texture, eight and one-half inches wide and eleven inches long, printed on one side only, under SDCL 15-6-10(e).
Use type no smaller than 12 point, or hand print the document in a clear and legible manner, under SDCL 15-6-10(e).
If the document is more than one page, number the pages consecutively at the bottom center of each page under SDCL 15-6-10(e).
Head the first page with a caption similar to the summons, naming the court, the parties, and the case number, with this document's designation substituted for the word Summons (SDCL 15-6-10(a)).
SDCL 15-6-10 does not fix a specific margin width; follow your local court's rules and the Unified Judicial System e-filing standards.
Electronic filing through the Unified Judicial System is mandatory for attorneys; self-represented litigants may file electronically but are not required to (SDCL Title 16, Ch. 21A).
Frequently Asked Questions
Under SDCL 15-6-10, pleadings must be on white, unglazed, opaque paper of good texture, eight and one-half inches wide and eleven inches long. The paper must be of good texture and the document printed on one side of the page only.
SDCL 15-6-10 requires type no smaller than 12 point, or the document may be hand printed in a clear and legible manner. The rule sets the type-size floor but does not name a specific typeface.
Under SDCL 15-6-10, a document of more than one page must have its pages numbered consecutively at the bottom center of each page. Single-page documents do not require a page number under the rule.
No. South Dakota does not require consecutive line numbers down the left margin. SDCL 15-6-10 instead fixes the paper, the 12-point type minimum, the one-sided printing, and consecutive page numbering at the bottom center of each page.