All 62 courthouses in South Dakota remain operational

KELO News: "While state, county, and city government offices across South Dakota have closed and moved to operating online or by phone, the court system in the state is still up and running."

Mine workers’ asbestos suit against insurer advanced by Montana high court

Courthouse News Service: "The Montana Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a workers compensation insurer is liable for damage claims from people who worked at the W.R. Grace vermiculite plant in Libby, Montana."

S.D. courts delay trials, excuse no-shows, reduce jail population

Brookings Register: "South Dakota courts are delaying trials, excusing no-shows, attempting to reduce jail populations and taking other measures to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus."

Most fed. court business in S.D. delayed

News Center 1: "Coronavirus concerns are shutting down almost all federal court business in South Dakota."

SD courts delay trials, excuse no-shows, reduce jail population for coronavirus

Rapid City Journal: "South Dakota courts are delaying trials, excusing no-shows, attempting to reduce jail populations and taking other measures to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus."

USD law professor edits journal focused on agriculture policy

Yankton Press and Dakotan: "Thomas Horton, a professor of law and the Heidepriem Trial Advocacy Fellow at the University of South Dakota School of Law, served as guest editor of the winter issue of Competition Policy International’s journal Antitrust Chronicle."

S.D. Supreme Court gives judges authority to modify operations

U.S. News: "The South Dakota Supreme Court has issued an order declaring a judicial emergency because of the new coronavirus."

Minnesota Supreme Court sides with Winona County on frac-sand ban

Winona Daily News: "The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Winona County did not violate the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution with its ban on frac-sand mining."

'It's been a good run': SD chief justice reflects on career

Mitchell Daily Republic: "David Gilbertson has been the South Dakota Supreme Court's chief justice for just shy of two decades, longer than anyone in the state's history. During that time, he told The Daily Republic in Pierre recently, nearly every major issue facing the state's judicial system has changed."

Minnesota justices revive defamation claims over cop’s murder

Courthouse News Service: "The Minnesota Supreme Court handed down a tempered victory Wednesday for a man suing two media outlets, ruling that a defamation case against a local newspaper and a statewide television news channel needed closer scrutiny from a jury."

South Dakota courts want more $ to treat more, hire more officers and pay judges more

KELO News: "The state Unified Judicial System needs more than what the governor has requested to bring its budget into line with growing demands that already strain circuit courts, two South Dakota Supreme Court members told state lawmakers Wednesday."

S.D.: Daugaard reflects on career at forum

Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan: "He grew up near Dell Rapids, but former Gov. Dennis Daugaard said he learned so much more about South Dakota during his time in public office."

State courts plan to use mental telehealth services in rural parts of South Dakota

KELO News: "State government’s courts want the Legislature’s approval to look at how mental telehealth services could work in some of South Dakota’s rural counties."

S.D.: Launch of website to access court records from any computer is delayed

Rapid City Journal: "The launch of a website that will let South Dakotans view public court records from any computer has been delayed for more than a year due to privacy concerns."

South Dakota sees increase in juvenile diversion program success

Mitchell Daily Republic: "More at-risk South Dakota youth successfully completed diversion programs in 2019 than in any other year since juvenile justice reforms went into effect, according to a report issued last week."

Longest-serving South Dakota Chief Justice bids farewell

U.S. News: "South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice David Gilbertson delivered his final State of the Judiciary address in Pierre on Wednesday, using the speech to push for a justice system that helps people address drug addiction and stay out of prison."

Attorney general tries once more to reduce use of presumptive probation in South Dakota courts

KELO News: "Last year, South Dakota’s freshly elected attorney general wasn’t able to convince enough members of the Legislature to overturn the state law that limits who gets sent to state prisons."

Sentencing guidelines commission votes to impose five-year limit on probation in Minnesota

MinnPost: "The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission has done what the state Legislature was unable to do. On an 8-3 vote Thursday, it placed a limit of five years on the length of probation for people convicted of crimes."

Federal judge blocks South Dakota petition law

Courthouse News Service: "A federal judge struck down as unconstitutional a South Dakota law imposing burdensome regulations that would have made it much harder for the average citizen to get an initiative on the ballot."

Montana court reverses $35 million child abuse verdict against Jehovah's Witnesses

NPR News: "The Montana Supreme Court has reversed a $35 million judgment against Jehovah's Witnesses for failing to report child sexual abuse."

S.D.: Chief Justice to deliver his final State of the Judiciary message

Pierre Capital Journal: "Chief Justice David Gilbertson, of the South Dakota Supreme Court, will deliver his State of the Judiciary message to a joint session of the South Dakota Legislature on January 15."

Minn.: 'An incredibly powerful tool,' DNA database, turns 30

MPR News: "Minnesota has played a major role in developing the national system that uses DNA to link crime scenes to other crime scenes or to known convicted offenders."

Some lawmakers support removing slavery reference from Minnesota Constitution

MPR News: "Some Minnesota lawmakers want to amend the state’s constitution to eliminate a little-known clause allowing slavery if someone has been convicted of a crime."