Pennington County to Hold Two Treatment Court Graduations

February 12, 2026

Press Release, Seventh Judicial Circuit, Treatment Court

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Feb. 12, 2026
Contact: Alisa Bousa, Public Information Officer, Alisa.Bousa@ujs.state.sd.us or 605.773.2031

Pennington County to Hold Two Treatment Court Graduations

PIERRE, S.D.—Pennington County Treatment Courts will hold two graduation ceremonies in February.

Pennington County Veterans Court will hold a graduation on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. MST in Courtroom C2 (third floor) of the Pennington County Courthouse, 315 St. Joseph St., Rapid City.
Pennington County Drug Court will hold a graduation on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, at 3 p.m. MST at the Emergency Operations Center (ground level), 130 Kansas City St., Rapid City.

The Pennington County Treatment Courts teams invite the public to join them in celebrating the graduates’ accomplishments and success. The ceremonies are open to the public, media and cameras. The ceremonies will also be streamed live online at https://www.sdpb.org/sdnetwork/ujs/court2 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 are an effective strategy for treating substance misuse and mental illness while reducing recidivism and saving taxpayer dollars. These 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 Veterans Court or Pennington County Drug Court, contact Treatment Court Coordinator Ashlee May at 605-394-2595 ext. 1223 or ashlee.may@ujs.state.sd.us.

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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.