Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen Appoints Judge Heidi L. Linngren as Presiding Judge of Seventh Judicial Circuit
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Nov. 20, 2025
Contact: Alisa Bousa, Public Information Officer, Alisa.Bousa@ujs.state.sd.us, 605.773.2031
Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen Appoints Judge Heidi L. Linngren as Presiding Judge of Seventh Judicial Circuit
PIERRE, S.D.—South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen has appointed the Honorable Heidi L. Linngren as presiding judge for the Seventh Judicial Circuit. Judge Linngren replaces the current Seventh Judicial Circuit presiding judge, the Honorable Robert Gusinsky, who Gov. Larry Rhoden has appointed to fill a vacancy on the South Dakota Supreme Court. Judge Linngren will begin her duties as presiding judge on Dec. 9, 2025.
South Dakota’s Unified Judicial System is divided into seven judicial circuits. The Seventh Judicial Circuit is comprised of Custer, Fall River, Oglala Lakota and Pennington counties.
Judge Linngren has served as a circuit court judge for the Seventh Judicial Circuit since 2015, following her election to the bench. Prior to that, she served as a magistrate judge for the Seventh Judicial Circuit from 2011 to 2015.
Judge Linngren was born and raised in Watertown. She obtained bachelor's degrees in elementary education and English from Northern State University, Aberdeen, in 1997 and her juris doctor from the University of South Dakota School of Law, Vermillion, in 2000.
Judge Linngren began her legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable Charles B. Kornmann of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota from 2000 to 2001. She next worked for the Pennington County Public Defender’s Office from 2001 to 2003, Rensch Law Firm from 2003 to 2005, and the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office from 2005 to 2011, when she was appointed a magistrate judge. She has served as the judge for Pennington County DUI Court and backup judge for Pennington County Drug Court.
Judge Linngren also taught as an adjunct professor at the University of South Dakota, Black Hills State University in Spearfish, and Western Dakota Technical College in Rapid City.
“Judge Linngren is a steady, thoughtful leader with deep roots in the Seventh Circuit. From her years as a magistrate and circuit court judge to her work in public defense and private practice, she has demonstrated a consistent commitment to fairness, accountability and problem-solving for the people we serve,” Chief Justice Jensen said. “I am confident she will provide strong administrative leadership for the courts of the Seventh Judicial Circuit and support the judges and staff who carry out our constitutional mission each day.
“I want to thank Judge Gusinsky for his exceptional leadership to the Seventh Judicial Circuit,” said the Chief Justice. “His work as presiding judge has strengthened court operations, supported treatment court initiatives, and improved access to justice for communities of western South Dakota. As he assumes his new role on the South Dakota Supreme Court, the experience and judgment he developed on the trial bench will be an enormous benefit to the Court and to the people of our state.”
Pursuant to Article V, Section 11 of the South Dakota Constitution, presiding judges are appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The presiding judge of each judicial circuit has administrative supervision and authority over the operations of the courts within the circuit. In addition to their administrative responsibilities, presiding judges also maintain full caseloads.
For a photo of Judge Linngren, click here. To learn more about the South Dakota Unified Judicial System, visit https://ujs.sd.gov.
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About South Dakota Courts: The Unified Judicial System (UJS) consists of the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts and State Court Administrator’s Office. The Supreme Court is the state’s highest court and final decision maker on South Dakota law. The Circuit Courts are the state’s trial courts where criminal proceedings and civil litigation are handled. The State Court Administrator’s Office provides centralized administrative assistance and support services for the South Dakota judiciary. Learn more at https://ujs.sd.gov.