PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Oct. 11, 2024
Contact: Alisa Bousa, Public Information Officer, Alisa.Bousa@ujs.state.sd.us | 605.773.2031
New Circuit Court Judge to be Sworn into Office in Sioux Falls
PIERRE, S.D.— The Second Judicial Circuit will hold a swearing-in of Jeffrey C. Clapper as its newest circuit court judge.
The investiture ceremony will take place on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, at 3 p.m. CDT in Courtroom 5B at the Minnehaha County Courthouse located at 425 N. Dakota Ave. in Sioux Falls. The event is open to the public. Following the ceremony, attendees are invited to enjoy refreshments provided by the Second Circuit Bar Association.
Clapper graduated from Creighton University in 1989 and University of South Dakota School of Law in 1993. He began his legal career in Sioux Falls at the law firm of Moore, Rasmussen, Kading & Kunstle where he engaged in criminal defense and civil litigation. He continued his involvement in civil litigation at the Boyce, Murphy, McDowell & Greenfield law firm.
In 2002, Clapper became an assistant United States attorney, where he handled a wide range of cases including bank robberies, financial fraud, violent crime and sexual assault in Indian Country. For the past 15 years, Clapper’s efforts have focused on prosecuting online child sex predators and sex traffickers. In 2024, he was designated as senior litigation counsel for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.
Clapper will serve as a judge for the Second Judicial Circuit, which includes Lincoln and Minnehaha counties.
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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.