Circuit Judge Magera Appointed as Presiding Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit

For Immediate Release: Aug. 18, 2022
Contact: Jill Gusso (605) 773-4874
Pierre 

Circuit Judge Magera Appointed as Presiding Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit

Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen announced today the appointment of the Honorable Gregg C. Magera as Presiding Judge for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, following the recent, untimely death of Judge Jon Flemmer, who previously served as the Presiding Judge.  The circuit courts in South Dakota are comprised of seven circuit territories within the South Dakota Unified Judicial System.  The Fifth Judicial Circuit consists of Brown, Campbell, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Marshall, McPherson, Roberts, Spink and Walworth counties.

A Yankton native, Magera earned his bachelor’s degree and his law degree from the University of South Dakota. Following service as a law clerk for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, he joined Siegel, Barnett & Schultz in Aberdeen in 1991, where he became a partner and practiced until his appointment as a magistrate judge in 2019.  Magera was then appointed as a circuit judge by Governor Kristi Noem in March 2021.

Pursuant to Article V, Section 11 of the South Dakota Constitution, Presiding Judges are appointed by the Chief Justice. The Presiding Judge of each circuit has administrative supervision and authority over the operations of the courts within each circuit.  In addition to their administrative responsibilities, each presiding judge also maintains a full case load.  Chief Justice Jensen expressed his appreciation for Judge Magera’s willingness to assume this additional responsibility and serve the Unified Judicial System and people of South Dakota as Presiding Judge.  Chief Justice Jensen added, “Judge Magera is well-suited for this role.  He has a desire to maintain excellence in the court system and a keen understanding of the important work of the courts in providing a fair and just resolution of the cases that come before our courts.”