South Dakota Second Judicial Circuit

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Court

South Dakota Second Judicial Circuit

The Second Judicial Circuit is the largest judicial circuit in South Dakota. It encompasses Lincoln and Minnehaha counties.

Circuit court judges

Joni Cutler Natalie Damgaard Douglas E. Hoffman Robin J. Houwman James A. Power C. Joseph Neiles

John Pekas Susan Sabers Mark Salter Bradley G. Zell

Magistrate court judges

• Eric C. Johnson
• Crystal Johnson
• John A. Schlimgen

Former judges

• Alan D. Dietrich
• Peter H. Lieberman

• Larry E. Long
• Patricia C. Riepel
• Doyle L. Sage
• Stuart L. Tiede

See also

• South Dakota Circuit Courts
• South Dakota counties
• Courts in South Dakota

External links

• South Dakota Unified Judicial System, "Current Second Circuit judges"

Elections

See also: South Dakota judicial elections

South Dakota is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in South Dakota, click here.

• South Dakota local trial court judicial elections, 2024
• South Dakota local trial court judicial elections, 2023
• South Dakota local trial court judicial elections, 2022
• South Dakota local trial court judicial elections, 2021
• South Dakota local trial court judicial elections, 2020
• South Dakota local trial court judicial elections, 2019
• South Dakota local trial court judicial elections, 2018
• South Dakota local trial court judicial elections, 2017
• South Dakota local trial court judicial elections, 2016
• South Dakota judicial elections, 2014
• South Dakota judicial elections, 2012
• South Dakota judicial elections, 2010

Selection method

The 39 judges of the South Dakota Circuit Courts are chosen by the people in nonpartisan elections. They serve for eight years and must seek re-election if they wish to serve additional terms.

The chief judge of each circuit court is appointed by the chief justice of the state supreme court and serves in that capacity for as long as the chief justice sees fit.

Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:

• a U.S. citizen;
• a resident of South Dakota;
• a resident of his or her circuit;
• licensed to practice law in the state; and
• under 70 years of age.*

*Circuit courts operate by the same mandatory retirement rules that apply to the supreme court; sitting circuit judges who reach the age of 70 must be "automatically retired on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of January next after the general election at which members of the Legislature are elected."

Election rules

Primary election

If more than two candidates are running for a circuit court seat, they compete in the primary election. The two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the general election.