UJS Press Releases & News
View press releases from and news about the South Dakota Unified Judicial System.
Recent News From UJS
Chief justice: No legislation on indigent defense in 2025
Come January, there likely won’t be any new legislative requests from the South Dakota Supreme Court regarding people who lack sufficient financial resources to hire their own lawyers when accused of crimes.
Addressing South Dakota's public defense gaps
Thanks to a new judicial report, the challenges facing the state’s indigent defense system are coming more into focus. Now, the question is how to move forward.
State officials discuss state of indigent defense in South Dakota
State officials discuss state of indigent defense in South Dakota
From Probation to Pageants
After celebrating two years of sobriety, a Mitchell woman is reminding everyone that no matter the challenges in your past, there’s still a chance to re-write your story.
Veterans Treatment Court Sees Two Graduates
The Second Circuit in Minnehaha County has four specialty courts- one of them being the Veterans Treatment Court.
Groundbreaking Held for the New Lincoln County Justice Center
he Lincoln County Board of Commissioners and members of the South Dakota Second Judicial Circuit held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Lincoln County Justice Center in Canton on Tuesday.
Pennington County Mental Health Court’s Two Newest Graduates
Pennington County Mental Health Court held a graduation celebration Tuesday, July 9, to honor two of the program’s newest graduates.
Triumph Over Addiction
The days of "locking them up and throwing away the key" are long gone as the Justice system learns more about mental health, addiction, and rehabilitation.
Indigent Legal Services Committee Names Chair, Seeks Chief Defendant
Recent legislation has led to the development of a new state office – the Office of Indigent Legal Services.
South Dakota Courts Launch Live Interpreter Pilot Project in Clerks’ Offices
Non-English speaking South Dakotans in five counties are now able to talk with an interpreter over a video conferencing software when they’re seeking guidance and help from clerks at the courthouse.