Opinion ID: 1303664
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: did the trial court correctly apply the balancing test for determining access to the juvenile hearings?

Text: Prior to 1991, the law in South Dakota afforded the general public access to juvenile court hearings unless a request to close the hearings was made by the child, his parents, or their attorney. See SDCL 26-8-32 (repealed 1991). [3] In 1991, the legislature restricted the public's right to access juvenile hearings by enacting SDCL 26-7A-36. That statute provides: All [juvenile court] hearings... are closed unless the court finds compelling reasons to require otherwise. Argus argues that the trial court failed to correctly apply a balancing test used by this court in construing the former juvenile closure statute. Associated Press, 410 N.W.2d at 579. [4] This balancing test no longer applies as the legislature has abrogated the presumption of open juvenile hearings.