State Supreme Court justice to retire in June

May 31, 2011

South Dakota: South Dakota Supreme Court Justice Judith Meierhenry has announced that she will be retiring in June of this year. Meierhenry will be ending a run, that started in 2002, as the first and only woman to serve on the state's high court. Prior to becoming a Supreme Court justice, Meierhenry was an attorney and then became the first women to be appointed circuit court judge in 1988. She served on the South Dakota Second Judicial Circuit until her 2002 appointment by former Governor Bill Janklow to the Supreme Court. Meierhenry spoke positively of her time on the court, citing the friendly attitude of fellow court members, "We've had a very collegial court. I've been blessed with that. We enjoy each others company. We don't always agree, but we can go to dinner together and I've enjoyed the chief's support. He's made it very comfortable to be on this Supreme Court." Her replacement will be appointed by Governor Dennis Daugaard, which, as of this writing, has not been chosen.