Press Release
For Immediate Release: Nov. 5, 2024
Contact: Alisa Bousa, UJS Public Information Officer, Alisa.Bousa@ujs.state.sd.us or 605.773.2031
Adjustments Made to $3 Million Distribution for Indigent Legal Services
PIERRE, S.D.— The South Dakota Office of Indigent Legal Services announced in September the reimbursement of $3 million for indigent legal services costs to the state’s counties. Since the announcement, four counties revised the numbers that they originally submitted, which resulted in a change to the distribution amounts for all counties.
The 2024 South Dakota Legislature appropriated $3 million to support counties in covering the cost of indigent legal services. These funds were distributed to counties on a pro rata basis, ensuring that every county received an equitable share based on their expenditures for indigent defense.
In partnership with the South Dakota State Treasurer, the Commission on Indigent Legal Services gathered data on total expenditures for court-appointed attorneys, public defender offices, and representation of abused and neglected children. These expenditures were certified by each county for fiscal year 2024 (July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024). The same percentage ratios were applied to ensure consistent distribution of the appropriated $3 million.
The South Dakota Unified Judicial System oversaw and administered distribution of the $3 million appropriation on behalf of the Commission on Indigent Legal Services. This distribution process, as outlined in HB 1057, mirrors existing processes in South Dakota Codified Law 23A-40-20 and SDCL 26-8A-19.
See the adjusted $3 million appropriation by county below.
—30—
County | Court-Appointed Attorney
& Public Defender Offices
Gross Expenditures | Abused & Neglected Children
Gross Expenditures | Total Gross Expenditures | Total Funds Allocated |
Aurora | $19,157.32 | $7,690.25 | $26,847.57 | $3,144.95 |
Beadle | $290,101.43 | $15,076.40 | $305,177.83 | $35,748.83 |
Bennett | $140,395.96 | $0 | $140,395.96 | $16,446.12 |
Bon Homme | $113,582.48 | $4,305.13 | $117,887.61 | $13,809.47 |
Brookings | $530,822.09 | $37,375.10 | $568,197.19 | $66,559.17 |
Brown | $791,575.76 | $27,215.14 | $818,790.90 | $95,913.96 |
Brule | $144,855.41 | $27,781.16 | $172,636.57 | $20,222.82 |
Buffalo | $21,059.53 | $0 | $21,059.53 | $2,466.93 |
Butte | $242,968.83 | $14,639.97 | $257,608.80 | $30,176.55 |
Campbell | $19,285.44 | $0 | $19,285.44 | $2,259.12 |
Charles Mix | $310,128.69 | $48,761.63 | $358,890.32 | $42,040.76 |
Clark | $31,487.44 | $0 | $31,487.44 | $3,688.47 |
Clay | $182,086.52 | $4,029.00 | $186,115.52 | $21,801.75 |
Codington | $1,120,073.00 | $0 | $1,120,073.00 | $131,206.44 |
Corson | $46,743.12 | $518.94 | $47,262.06 | $5,536.32 |
Custer | $107,208.55 | $5,684.40 | $112,892.95 | $13,224.39 |
Davison | $504,297.13 | $7,868.47 | $512,165.60 | $59,995.58 |
Day | $98,661.45 | $500.00 | $99,161.45 | $11,615.87 |
Deuel | $21,167.34 | $0 | $21,167.34 | $2,479.56 |
Dewey | $8,100.28 | $0 | $8,100.28 | $948.87 |
Douglas | $16,839.90 | $0 | $16,839.90 | $1,972.64 |
Edmunds | $14,262.89 | $0 | $14,262.89 | $1,670.77 |
Fall River | $284,010.07 | $21,562.81 | $305,572.88 | $35,795.10 |
Faulk | $8,968.20 | $0 | $8,968.20 | $1,050.54 |
Grant | $65,948.39 | $7,586.15 | $73,534.54 | $8,613.91 |
Gregory | $72,286.73 | $0 | $72,286.73 | $8,467.74 |
Haakon | $22,609.73 | $0 | $22,609.73 | $2,648.53 |
Hamlin | $48,668.43 | $0 | $48,668.43 | $5,701.07 |
Hand | $17,362.10 | $849.40 | $18,211.50 | $2,133.31 |
Hanson | $60,133.00 | $0 | $60,133.00 | $7,044.04 |
Harding | $2,623.07 | $0 | $2,623.07 | $307.27 |
Hughes | $793,171.77 | $26,257.15 | $819,428.92 | $95,988.70 |
Hutchinson | $45,722.96 | $256.80 | $45,979.76 | $5,386.11 |
Hyde | $6,475.05 | $0 | $6,475.05 | $758.49 |
Jackson | $80,998.38 | $4,843.53 | $85,841.91 | $10,055.60 |
Jerauld | $14,012.38 | $1,719.26 | $15,731.64 | $1,842.82 |
Jones | $36,610.08 | $0 | $36,610.08 | $4,288.54 |
Kingsbury | $13,298.07 | $0 | $13,298.07 | $1,557.75 |
Lake | $263,670.06 | $18,731.08 | $282,401.14 | $33,080.74 |
Lawrence | $581,484.85 | $44,412.29 | $625,897.14 | $73,318.20 |
Lincoln | $1,476,865.58 | $53,118.80 | $1,529,984.38 | $179,223.86 |
Lyman | $79,288.36 | $0 | $79,288.36 | $9,287.92 |
Marshall | $66,725.04 | $5,277.20 | $72,002.24 | $8,434.41 |
McCook | $185,792.64 | $15,592.66 | $201,385.30 | $23,590.47 |
McPherson | $13,224.28 | $0 | $13,224.28 | $1,549.11 |
Meade | $525,339.76 | $20,288.11 | $545,627.87 | $63,915.38 |
Mellette | $73,588.43 | $0 | $73,588.43 | $8,620.22 |
Miner | $16,846.80 | $833.50 | $17,680.30 | $2,071.09 |
Minnehaha | $7,237,860.72 | $483,683.74 | $7,721,544.46 | $904,509.21 |
Moody | $174,044.89 | $11,472.31 | $185,517.20 | $21,731.67 |
Oglala Lakota | $3,145.84 | $0 | $3,145.84 | $368.51 |
Pennington | $5,467,690.65 | $461,394.00 | $5,929,084.65 | $694,538.73 |
Perkins | $24,319.99 | $651.10 | $24,971.09 | $2,925.14 |
Potter | $17,641.57 | $0 | $17,641.57 | $2,066.55 |
Roberts | $459,563.01 | $0 | $459,563.01 | $53,833.66 |
Sanborn | $19,851.55 | $0 | $19,851.55 | $2,325.43 |
Spink | $83,600.25 | $12,222.77 | $95,823.02 | $11,224.80 |
Stanley | $99,652.08 | $0 | $99,652.08 | $11,673.34 |
Sully | $10,772.63 | $6,800.51 | $17,573.14 | $2,058.53 |
Todd | $4,281.19 | $0 | $4,281.19 | $501.50 |
Tripp | $53,603.97 | $1,346.79 | $54,950.76 | $6,436.99 |
Turner | $125,783.02 | $0 | $125,783.02 | $14,734.35 |
Union | $250,293.26 | $0 | $250,293.26 | $29,319.60 |
Walworth | $83,211.81 | $22,897.42 | $106,109.23 | $12,429.74 |
Yankton | $410,137.06 | $20,109.19 | $430,246.25 | $50,399.46 |
Ziebach | $10,777.88 | $0 | $10,777.88 | $1,262.53 |
Totals | $24,166,816.14 | $1,443,352.16 | $25,610,168.30 | $3,000,000.00 |