Steven R. Jensen

Steven R. Jensen (born March 18, 1963) is the Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court since 2021. He was appointed as an Associate Justice by Governor Dennis Daugaard in 2017.[1] He became the 50th member of the court, succeeding Justice Lori S. Wilbur.[2]

Steven R. Jensen
Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court
Incumbent
Assumed office January 5, 2021
Preceded by	David Gilbertson
Associate Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court
Incumbent
Assumed office November 3, 2017
Appointed by	Dennis Daugaard
Preceded by	Lori S. Wilbur
Personal details
Born	March 18, 1963
Education	Bethel College (B.A.) University of South Dakota (J.D.)

Early life and education

Jensen attended Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and graduated from there in 1985. During the summer of 1984, he worked as an intern for U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley.[3] His Juris Doctor degree was conferred by the University of South Dakota in 1988.[2]

Legal career

Jensen served as a judicial law clerk for Associate Justice Richard W. Sabers of the South Dakota Supreme Court. In 1989, he started working at the Crary Huff Law Firm in Sioux City, Iowa. He was an attorney at Crary Huff until 2003.[1] At that time he was appointed to the First Judicial Circuit Court of South Dakota, serving until 2014. He was Presiding Judge of that circuit from 2011 to 2014.[2] In June 2020, it was announced that Jensen was selected to replace David Gilbertson as the next Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court. He assumed office in January 2021.[3]

Professional affiliations including his being chairman of the Unified Judicial System’s Presiding Judges Council and president of the South Dakota Judges Association.[2]

Personal life

Jensen married Sue Nelson in 1990. They have one daughter, Rachel; two sons, Ryan and Andrew; and one son-in-law, Blake Roberts.[3]

References

1. "Supreme Court Home". The South Dakota Supreme Court. South Dakota Unified Judicial System. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
2. Ryan, Herb (September 19, 2017). "Gov. Daugaard To Appoint Judge Steven R. Jensen To South Dakota Supreme Court". Custer Free Press. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
3. Schoonover, Jason (August 18, 2020). "Bethel Alumnus to Become Chief Justice of S.D. Supreme Court". www.bethel.edu. Retrieved September 8, 2020.