Unified Judicial System to Take Part in Accessing South Dakota Courts Training on October 10
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Oct. 1, 2025
Contact: Alisa Bousa, Public Information Officer, Alisa.Bousa@ujs.state.sd.us or 605.773.2031
Unified Judicial System to Take Part in Accessing South Dakota Courts Training on October 10
PIERRE, S.D.—The South Dakota Unified Judicial System (UJS) will take part in a free training on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, to help South Dakota journalists cover state courts. The training will also be relevant to students and members of the public interested in accessing the judicial system.
UJS judges and staff will explain how the state court system works and how to access court documents and attend hearings. The event is being organized by South Dakota News Watch and South Dakota Public Broadcasting, with support from the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota and the League of Women Voters.
The training will be held at 9-11 a.m. CDT in person at SDPB in Sioux Falls at 601 N. Phillips Ave. and in Rapid City at 415 Main St. The training will also be broadcast live online at sd.net. The training is free, but please RSVP for the in-person sessions.
Training Schedule (Central Time):
8-9 a.m. – In-person registration, coffee, pastries
9-9:05 a.m. – Welcome:
– Cara Hetland, SDPB director of radio and journalism content
– Carson Walker, South Dakota News Watch CEO
9:05-10:30 a.m. – Training:
– Seventh Circuit Presiding Judge Robert Gusinsky
– Second Circuit Judge Jon C. Sogn
– Second Circuit Court Administrator Karl Thoennes
– Pennington County Clerk of Courts Amber Watkins
–UJS Public Information Officer Alisa Bousa
10:30-10:40 a.m. – Updates to South Dakota News Watch’s South Dakota Crime Reporting Guide
10:40-11 a.m. – Q&A on journalism-specific questions
The training will be archived at https://sdpb.org/youtube, where previous South Dakota News Watch and SDPB training sessions can be viewed. The South Dakota Bar Foundation co-sponsors this twice-annual training.
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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.