# S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-201: Judicial notice of adjudicative facts

> South Dakota · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-201

## Section

- **Citation:** S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-201
- **Heading:** Judicial notice of adjudicative facts
- **Jurisdiction:** South Dakota
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** SD Code / Title 19 / Chapter 19 / Section 19-19-201

## Text

(a) Scope. This section governs judicial notice of an adjudicative fact only, not a legislative fact.

(b) Kinds of facts that may be judicially noticed. The court may judicially notice a fact that is not subject to reasonable dispute because it:

(1) Is generally known within the trial court's territorial jurisdiction; or

(2) Can be accurately and readily determined from sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned.

(c) Taking notice. The court:

(1) May take judicial notice on its own; or

(2) Must take judicial notice if a party requests it and the court is supplied with the necessary information.

(d) Timing. The court may take judicial notice at any stage of the proceeding.

(e) Opportunity to be heard. On timely request, a party is entitled to be heard on the propriety of taking judicial notice and the nature of the fact to be noticed. If the court takes judicial notice before notifying a party, the party, on request, is still entitled to be heard.

(f) Instructing the jury. In a civil case, the court must instruct the jury to accept the noticed fact as conclusive. In a criminal case, the court must instruct the jury that it may or may not accept the noticed fact as conclusive.

Source: SL 1979, ch 358 (Supreme Court Rule 78-2, Rule 201); SDCL §§ 19-10-1 to 19-10-7; SL 2016, ch 239 (Supreme Court Rule 15-23 ), eff. Jan. 1, 2016.

## Nearby sections

- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-101 Scope--Definitions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-101.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-102 Purpose](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-102.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-103 Rulings on evidence](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-103.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-104 Preliminary questions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-104.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-105 Limiting evidence that is not admissible against other parties or for other purposes](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-105.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-106 Remainder of or related writings or recorded statements](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-106.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-201 Judicial notice of adjudicative facts](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-201.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-301 Presumptions in civil cases](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-301.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-302 Presumptions in criminal cases](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-302.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-401 Test for relevant evidence](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-401.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-402 Relevant evidence generally admissible--Irrelevant evidence inadmissible](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-402.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-403 Excluding relevant evidence for prejudice, confusion, waste of time, or other reasons](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-403.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-404 Character evidence--Crimes or other acts](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-404.md)
- [S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-405 Methods of proving character](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-405.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_SD_T19_C19_S19-19-201. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.