YANKTON, S.D. (AP) - One-third of the judgeships in South Dakota’s 14-county First Judicial Circuit are vacant, creating a challenge in coping with the caseload.
Circuit Judges Paul Eng and Tim Bjorkman retired earlier this month, creating the rare situation of two judgeship vacancies at the same time, the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan (https://bit.ly/2tW6zH6) reported.
A state official says Gov. Dennis Daugaard hopes to fill the two vacancies next month.
Daugaard chief of staff Tony Venhuizen said the applications for both judgeships have been forwarded to the Judicial Qualifications Commission.
“The Judicial Qualifications Commission is undertaking its background and reference checking, and has scheduled its interviews for mid-July,” Venhuizen told the Press & Dakotan. “The JQC will submit a list of finalists to the governor once it completes those interviews.”
Both Eng and Bjorkman have served lengthy periods on the bench.
First Circuit Court administrator Kim Allison said the simultaneous retirements are unique.
“I can say, in the 17 years I have been here, we have not had two circuit court judge vacancies at the same time,” she said. “But, it does happen.”
The First Circuit faces another challenge in meeting its current caseload as Circuit Judge Cheryle Gering presides over Beef Products Inc.’s defamation lawsuit against ABC News and national correspondent Jim Avila. The company is seeking $1.9 billion in damages, which could triple to $5.7 billion under the state’s agricultural disparagement law.
The trial in Elk Point began earlier this month and is expected to run through the end of July.
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Information from: Yankton Press and Dakotan, https://www.yankton.net/
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