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Pennington County to Hold Three Treatment Court Graduations

October 16, 2025

Press Release, Seventh Judicial Circuit, Treatment Court

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Oct. 16, 2025
Contact: Alisa Bousa, Public Information Officer, Alisa.Bousa@ujs.state.sd.us, 605.773.2031

Pennington County to Hold Three Treatment Court Graduations

PIERRE, S.D.—Pennington County Treatment Courts have three graduation ceremonies taking place this fall. 

  • Pennington County Mental Health Court Graduation: Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, 3 p.m. MDT, Courtroom C5 (third floor), Pennington County Courthouse, 315 St Joseph St., Rapid City. The featured speakers will be Judge Jeffrey R. Connolly and Court Services Officer Adam Ohman.
  • Pennington County DUI Court Graduation: Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, 10 a.m. MDT, Commission Chambers, Pennington County Administration Building, 130 Kansas City St., Rapid City.
  • Pennington County Drug Court Graduation: Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, 3 p.m. MST, Commission Chambers, Pennington County Administration Building, 130 Kansas City St., Rapid City.

The Pennington County Treatment Court teams invite you to join them in recognizing the remarkable accomplishments of these graduates. The ceremonies are open to the public, media and cameras. The ceremonies will also be streamed live online at https://www.sd.net/UJSCourt2 for those who cannot attend in person. 

Pennington County Treatment Courts which include drug court, DUI court, veterans court and mental health court are sentencing alternatives that provide lifesaving treatment to justice-involved persons who are substantially impacted by a substance use disorder or mental illness and are likely to be rearrested without intervention. This is a public health approach to justice reform in which treatment providers partner with probation, defense, prosecution, law enforcement and the judge to ensure participants receive personalized and evidence-based treatment, ongoing support and recovery services to improve their overall wellbeing.

Treatment Courts have proven that a combination of supervision, treatment and support can lead people with substance use disorders and/or mental health disorders into lives of stability, wellness and recovery. Learn more about South Dakota’s treatment courts at https://ujs.sd.gov/programs-services/treatment-courts. For more information about Pennington County Drug Court, contact Coordinator Ashlee May at Ashlee.May@ujs.state.sd.us or 605-394-2595 ext. 1223. For more information about Pennington County DUI Court or Mental Health Court, contact Coordinator Rick Olauson at Richard.Olauson@ujs.state.sd.us or 605-394-2595 ext. 1345.

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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.