SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — South Dakota Supreme Court Justice Janine M. Kern has announced that she will retire from the bench in December.
According to a news release from the South Dakota Unified Judicial System, Kern was appointed to the South Dakota Supreme Court in 2014 by Gov. Dennis Daugaard to represent the First Supreme Court District, which includes Custer, Lawrence, Meade and Pennington counties.
She previously served as circuit court judge for 18 years.
“It is with a heart brimming with gratitude for the trust and confidence placed in me, which gave me the opportunity to serve the people of this great state, that I notify you of my retirement on December 8, 2025, nearly twenty-nine years to the day of my investiture as a circuit court judge,” Justice Kern wrote in a news release. “It has been a deep honor and privilege to serve.”
Gov. Larry Rhoden will choose Kern’s replacement from a list of people nominated by the Judicial Qualifications Commission.
“Justice Kern has made a lasting impression on the legal profession,” Rhoden said in a news release. “She has been an incredible lawyer, prosecutor and judge for 28 years. I work with several young attorneys who look up to her as a role model, so her steady hand on the court will be missed. As I review potential appointments to replace her on the bench, I will be hopeful that we can find a future Supreme Court judge of her caliber.”
