Willful neglect is the neglect of a person to provide the common necessaries of life for his or her spouse, when having the ability to do so; or it is the failure to do so by reason of idleness, profligacy, or dissipation.
S.D. Codified Laws § 25-4-15
Willful neglect defined
Applied in 2 court decisions — leading case Watt v. Watt (1981)
Most recently applied in Baker v. Holland (August 2009)
Source: SDC 1939, § 14.0710; SL 1984, ch 12, § 45.
Official source: South Dakota Legislature. Reproduced from public-domain South Dakota statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.