South Dakota Supreme Court weighs circuit merger

PIERRE, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Would merging two West River judicial circuits make courts more efficient or leave rural communities behind? That question drove testimony before the South Dakota Supreme Court on Monday.

State Court Administrator Greg Sattizahn presented the case for combining the Fourth and Seventh circuits. He asked whether they could operate more efficiently together.

Opponents questioned whether a merger would solve staffing problems.

Lora Waeckerle, representing the State Bar’s Young Lawyers Section, warned consolidation could make those problems worse.

She also raised concerns about fewer in-person hearings and unanswered questions about which cases and communities would get priority. She called for more study before implementation.

Fourth Circuit Judge Eric Strawn questioned whether the proposal would benefit the public or primarily court administration.

He asked what inefficiencies exist now and whether consolidation could create more.

Lemmon attorney Shane Penfield said northwestern South Dakota is often overlooked.

He worried a larger electorate centered around Rapid City could make it harder for northwestern judges to win election.

He also asked what the change would mean for state court services on the Cheyenne River and Standing Rock reservations.

Justices said they have no timeline for when a decision will be made.

The proposal under consideration asked for an implementation date of January of next year.