← South Dakota Supreme Court · South Dakota overview
Steven Jensen Chief Justice
Chief Justice, South Dakota Supreme Court · District 4
Background: Jensen received an undergraduate degree from Bethel College and a J.D. from the University of South Dakota in 1988.
At a glance
- Court
- South Dakota Supreme Court
- Position / seat
- District 4
- Chief justice
- Yes
- How they joined the court
- Appointed by Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R) (September 17, 2017); retained by voters in a retention election on November 3, 2020
- Appointed by
- Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R)
- Appointment date
- September 17, 2017
- Took office
- November 3, 2017
- Current term ends
- January 5, 2029
- Next election or retention vote
- Not listed
- Last election
- November 3, 2020
- Party (as listed by Ballotpedia)
- Nonpartisan
- Ballotpedia partisanship estimate
- Mild Republican (2020 study of justices' pre-court partisan activity)
- Education
- Bachelor's: Bethel College
- Law: University of South Dakota, 1988
- Prior offices
- Not listed
- Profession
- Not listed
- How this court's justices are chosen
- Assisted appointment (Hybrid)A nominating commission screens candidates and sends a shortlist; the governor appoints from it. In many such states, justices later face yes/no retention elections.
Summary of facts listed on Steven Jensen’s Ballotpedia page (retrieved Oct 26, 2026) · Photo: Ballotpedia. “Not listed” means Ballotpedia didn’t list it in a form this site could read; check Ballotpedia for the latest.
No public decision data available for this court.