35-8A-5. Good cause for termination, cancellation, nonrenewal, discontinuance, or modification.
Except as provided in §35-8A-6, no supplier may terminate an agreement, cancel an agreement, fail to renew an agreement upon expiration of its terms, refuse to continue under an agreement, or require a material modification of a wholesaler's territory unless good cause exists. Good cause exists for the purpose of termination, cancellation, nonrenewal, discontinuance, or modification if all of the following occur:
(1)There is a failure by the wholesaler to substantially comply, without reasonable excuse or justification, with a provision of the agreement which is both reasonable and of material significance to the business relationship between the wholesaler and the supplier;
(2)The supplier first acquired knowledge of the failure to comply described in subdivision (1) no more than two years before the date the wholesaler was given final notice under subdivision (5);
(3)The wholesaler has been notified in writing by the supplier of the alleged noncompliance and has been afforded thirty days in which to submit a plan of corrective action to comply with the agreement and an additional ninety days to cure the noncompliance in accordance with the plan;
(4)The wholesaler was afforded a reasonable opportunity to comply with the agreement within the time as provided in subdivision (3). If the wholesaler cures the alleged noncompliance during the time limits provided, the notice of termination is void;
(5)The wholesaler was given final written notice by the supplier of failure to comply with the agreement. The notice shall be delivered by certified mail, return receipt requested, and shall contain a statement of the intention to terminate, cancel, not renew, or discontinue the agreement, a statement of the reasons for the termination, cancellation, nonrenewal, or discontinuance and the date on which the termination shall take effect. The date may not be less than fifteen business days following receipt by the wholesaler of this notice; and
(6)The supplier has acted in good faith.
Source: SL 1990, ch 300, §5.
Structure South Dakota Codified Laws
Title 35 - Alcoholic Beverages
Chapter 08A - Regulation Of Beer Industry Business Relationships
Section 35-8A-1 - Legislative authority and purpose.
Section 35-8A-2 - Definitions of terms.
Section 35-8A-3 - Distribution contracts--Application of this chapter.
Section 35-8A-4 - Prohibited actions by supplier.
Section 35-8A-7 - When compensation required from brewer--Reasonable value--Arbitration.
Section 35-8A-11 - Distribution agreement binding upon successor.
Section 35-8A-13 - Unreasonable amendment prohibited.
Section 35-8A-14 - Exclusive sales territories--Designated wholesaler.
Section 35-8A-15 - Application of chapter.
Section 35-8A-16 - Brand defined.
Section 35-8A-17 - Brand extension defined.
Section 35-8A-19 - Future brand extensions to be assigned wholesaler who first had brand.
Section 35-8A-20 - Application of certain amended and enacted sections.