The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-11-12
new DIVORCE Law
IS APPROVED BY
VOTERS OF DAKOTA
Will Become Effective at Once
and Gut OF 5000, 900 of
Annual Revenue.

Sioux Falls, S. D., Nov. 1o.-In tEs
referendum of last Tuesday the people
Of South Dakota have voted over
whelmingly to end South Dakota's
famous divorce mill. After the state
canvassing board meets at Pierre the
first week of next month and n
nounces officially that the new law has
been approved, it will no longer be
possible for the disconnected wives and
husbands of the whole world to come
TO South Dakota and by spending sis
months, obtain in a secret hearing
freedom and the right to engage ir
more marriages.
No more can the women of famous
old families Of New York and Phila-
delphfa and Boston, or the wives of
and women of small means, who find
their own states laws too strict or
their courts too scrupulous, turn to
Sioux Falls, confident Of gaining their
freedom.
The statute approved last Tuesday,
which will change the destinies of
families throughout the United States.
and put at an end an industry worth
100000 a year to Sioux Falls, con
tains but five short sections, $50 words
in all.
The first section provides that the
plaintiff in an action for divorce must
have been an actual resident, in good
faith, Of this state for one year. and
of the county wherein action is COM
menced, for three months mex preced-
ing the suit. Under the present law
a divorce action may be begun after
a residence of six months, the period
required for citizenship, and suit may
be filed in any county at the con-
venience or desire of the plaintiff. Thus
It Is a favorite trick Of Sioux Falls
lawyers representing clients who are
avoiding publicity, to bring their cases
I'm nna an11nfV have fha hpa rim o. In nm
other Of the circuit and obtain the de-
cree in a third. Thus newspaper pur-
suit is almost invariably cast off. I'm
der the new law this practice will
be impossible.
The second section merely reserves
to parties married in the state and
residing in 1T, the right to sue for di-
vorce at any time.
Under section three, all hearings of
divorce cases, except those relating to
locutory decree, must be held at the
regular terms of court. This not only
provides publicity, a thing abhorred by
all the colonists, but it also means
that often more than a years residence
would be needed, as the expiration OF
the required year might occur in a
recess Of the courts.
Chance for Collision.
The only remaining section OF the
new law states that if the cause OF
action arises in the state. then action
may be commenced at any time after
the plaintiff has lived in the state for
SIX months.
The portion OF the law some Sioux
Falls divorce lawyers claim opens the
way to a continuation of at least a
part of the divorce traffic. For exam
pie. Attorney j. NJ. Donovan says:
AZ 80 per cent. of those who come
to South Dakota for divorce have
agreed with the matrimonial spouse,
in advance, that one shall come to this
state and procure a dissolution of the
marriage, which the other will not OPP
| pose, all sue parties will nave to do
under the new law, to men the
action in six months, as at present, is
to both come to the state instead of
one and separate, one remaining and
the other returning
This is unquestionably true but 1t is
claimed on the other side that a great
many divorces which are not opposed,
| would not be asked when it is neces-
sary for both parties to come to the
state and commit an ~undeniable act Of
collision, which, under the South Da-
kota law, is ground for denial Of a d.
vorce.
Full returns have been. reported Of
the vote on the divorce law by IL of the
largest counties in the state, and their
vote on the law stands--yes. 15, 1905; no,
10,lS9. With so large a majority and
approval of the law in all but one of
the IL counties, scattered all through
the state, no doubt whatever remains
that the law has been approved.
Reports have so far been received
from Yankton, Dawson, Clark, Brown,
| Clay, Codington, Beadle and Deuel.
counties, which combined return an
affirmative majority of 5,6l6 for the
law.