--- title: "Abigail A. Howard | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/abigail-a-howard-sd-trial" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Abigail A. Howard South Dakota Circuit Court · Circuit Judge ## Profile - Court: South Dakota Circuit Court - State: South Dakota - Role: Circuit Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-10-02 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Abigail (Abbey) Howard is a circuit judge for the Third Judicial Circuit in South Dakota, appointed by Governor Kristi Noem in December 2024, with a career that includes prosecutorial service, magistrate judge work, and legal leadership - Magistrate Judge, Third Judicial Circuit, appointed 2018 - Began practice at Fite & Pierce in Brookings, joined Brookings County State’s Attorney’s Office as prosecutor in 2013, was elected county state’s attorney in 2016, and became a Third Circuit magistrate in 2018 - Current Judicial Role: Circuit Judge, Third Judicial Circuit ### Education - University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law J.D., serving as a South Dakota Law Review editor. ### Additional information - Abigail (Abbey) Howard received an appointment from Governor Kristi Noem to South Dakota’s Third Judicial Circuit Court in the December 13, 2024 announcement. - S; o; u; t; h; - D; a; k; o; t; a; - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y;,;; u; n; d; e; r; g; r; a; d; u; a; t; e;; d; e; g; r; e; e;,;; m; a; g; n; a;; c; u; m;; l; a; u; d; e - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y;; o; f; - K; n; u; d; s; o; n; - S; c; h; o; o; l;; o; f; - L; a; w;,; - J;. - D;.;;;; e; d; i; t; o; r;,; - R; e; v; i; e; w - Judge Howard expressed honor and humility at the appointment, stating she looks forward to continuing service to the citizens of the Third Circuit - As magistrate she handled courts in Brookings, Beadle, Codington, Lake and Moody counties. - The circuit encompasses Beadle, Brookings, Clark, Codington, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Miner, Moody and Sanborn counties. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### electronic devices and media Scope: statewide South Dakota's published statewide guidance permits expanded media coverage in circuit and magistrate proceedings only when the parties and court agree, and the court may modify the coverage at any time. Evidence excerpt: Expanded media coverage (audio, video and still photos) is allowed when the parties of the case and the court all agree that such coverage should be permitted. [South Dakota Unified Judicial System: Circuit Court Media Coverage](https://ujs.sd.gov/for-the-media/) Source checked: 2026-07-27 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/) - [Official roster](https://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/third-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-third-judicial-circuit/) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System Directory](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System: Circuit Court Media Coverage](https://ujs.sd.gov/for-the-media/) - [Governor Noem Appoints Abigail Howard to Third Judicial Circuit Court](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/governor-noem-appoints-abigail-howard-to-third-judicial-circuit-court/) - [Governor Noem Appoints Abigail Howard to Third Judicial Circuit Court](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/governor-noem-appoints-abigail-howard-to-third-judicial-circuit-court/) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System official judicial roster](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System: Circuit Court Media Coverage](https://ujs.sd.gov/for-the-media/) - [Governor Noem Appoints Abigail Howard to Third Judicial Circuit Court](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/governor-noem-appoints-abigail-howard-to-third-judicial-circuit-court/) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System official judicial roster](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/) - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System: Circuit Court Media Coverage](https://ujs.sd.gov/for-the-media/) - [Governor Noem Appoints Abigail Howard to Third Judicial Circuit Court](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/governor-noem-appoints-abigail-howard-to-third-judicial-circuit-court/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/abigail-a-howard-sd-trial", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/abigail-a-howard-sd-trial", "name": "Abigail A. 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Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://ujs.sd.gov/for-the-media/). Collected 2026-07-27.