SDCL tit. 25, ch. 4A, app TO CHAPTER 25-4A, Guideline 4, 4.11

Current through the 2024 Legislative Session
Communication with Children

Unless prohibited by a court order, either parent may mail, call, text, email, FaceTime or skype (or use similar technology) to communicate with the children at reasonable times and with reasonable frequency during those periods the children are with the other parent. The children may, of course, mail, call, text, email, FaceTime or skype (or use similar technology) to communicate with either parent, at reasonable hours or with reasonable frequency.

1. Parents are cautioned that communication between the parent and the children should not be so excessive as to interfere with the other parent's time, nor used to undermine the other parent's authority.
2. During long vacations, the parent with whom the children are on vacation is required to make the children available for telephone calls with the other parent at least every three days.
3. At all other times, the parent the children are with must not refuse to answer the other parents telephone calls or turn off their telephone in order to deny the other parent telephone contact.
4. If a parent uses an answering machine or cell phone voicemail, messages left should be returned to that person as soon as possible.
5. Parents should agree on a specified time for calls to the children so that the children will be made available no less than three days a week.
6. Either parent may provide the children with a cell phone subject to each parent's ability to set restrictions in their home. A parent shall not prohibit contact between the children and the other parent; nor shall they impede the children's ability to contact the other parent during reasonable times and at a reasonable frequency.
7. Communication between a parent and the children must not be censored, recorded, or monitored, absent a court order.
8. Each parent shall have an unrestricted right to send cards, letters and/or packages to their children. The children shall also have the same right to receive and send items to their parents.

SDCL tit. 25, ch. 4A, app TO CHAPTER 25-4A, Guideline 4, 4.11