Opponents of South Dakota court consolidation say move would harm rural access to justice

By: Joshua Haiar

Outlets: South Dakota Searchlight

Published: November 9, 2026

Words: 547

Last Updated: 2 hours, 14 minutes ago

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The South Dakota Supreme Court heard concerns Monday at the Capitol in Pierre from people who said the proposed merger of two western judicial circuits could leave rural communities behind.

The proposal would combine the state’s 4th and 7th Judicial Circuits into a single 12-county 4th Circuit headquartered in Rapid City, reducing the number of judicial circuits in South Dakota from seven to six.

The 4th Judicial Circuit encompasses the …

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