--- title: "Alison D. Nelson | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/alison-d-nelson-sd-limited" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Alison D. Nelson South Dakota Magistrate Court · Magistrate Judge ## Profile - Court: South Dakota Magistrate Court - State: South Dakota - Role: Magistrate Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-10-02 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Magistrate Judge, Second Judicial Circuit (Lincoln & Minnehaha) - appointed Sept 10 2024, bench Sept 23 2024 - Magistrate judge for South Dakota’s Second Judicial Circuit, appointed by the South Dakota Supreme Court in September 2024 to fill a vacancy created by Judge Eric C. Johnson’s promotion to circuit judge - Lincoln County Deputy State's Attorney 2019-2024 - Minnehaha County Deputy State's Attorney 2017-2019 - Began her legal career as a U.S. Navy JAG officer, moved to South Dakota in 2017, and prosecuted first in Minnehaha County and then Lincoln County - Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps (2012–2017) - US Navy JAG Corps officer - Appointed to replace Judge Eric C. Johnson, who was elevated to circuit judge ### Education - Wake Forest University B.A. in history with biology minor and an American University Washington College of Law degree magna cum laude. ### Additional information - The September 10, 2024 official announcement states she would take the bench September 23, with a formal swearing-in to follow sometime thereafter. - Law graduation in 2012, senior note/comment editor and executive editorial board service on American University International Law Review, and South Dakota and Colorado admissions. - Her appointment was announced in a South Dakota Unified Judicial System press release and covered by local outlets such as and The Dells City Journal - Alison D. Nelson received an appointment from the South Dakota Supreme Court as a Second Judicial Circuit magistrate, succeeding Eric C. Johnson after his promotion to circuit judge. - A; m; e; r; i; c; a; n; - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y; - W; a; s; h; i; n; g; t; o; n; - C; o; l; l; e; g; e;; o; f; - L; a; w; - J - D;; m; a; g; n; a;; c; u; m;; l; a; u; d; e - The circuit covers Lincoln and Minnehaha 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/second-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-second-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/) - [New Magistrate Judge Appointed in the Second Judicial Circuit](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/new-magistrate-judge-appointed-in-the-second-judicial-circuit/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/Information/pressreleasesitem.aspx?SS7LrtqEeFe4w1a95YioUhmaP7%2bfQRGa69fKxigYrwc%3d) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://minnehahacounty.gov/commission/meetingInfo/minutes/2017/170926.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://lincolncountysd.org/Archive/ViewFile/Item/1331) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.sdpb.org/podcast/sdpb-news/2024-09-12/enrollment-report-shows-growth-in-state-university-system-sep-12) - [New Magistrate Judge Appointed in the Second Judicial Circuit](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/new-magistrate-judge-appointed-in-the-second-judicial-circuit/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/Information/pressreleasesitem.aspx?SS7LrtqEeFe4w1a95YioUhmaP7%2bfQRGa69fKxigYrwc%3d) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://minnehahacounty.gov/commission/meetingInfo/minutes/2017/170926.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://lincolncountysd.org/Archive/ViewFile/Item/1331) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.sdpb.org/podcast/sdpb-news/2024-09-12/enrollment-report-shows-growth-in-state-university-system-sep-12) - [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/) - [New Magistrate Judge Appointed in the Second Judicial Circuit](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/new-magistrate-judge-appointed-in-the-second-judicial-circuit/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/Information/pressreleasesitem.aspx?SS7LrtqEeFe4w1a95YioUhmaP7%2bfQRGa69fKxigYrwc%3d) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://minnehahacounty.gov/commission/meetingInfo/minutes/2017/170926.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://lincolncountysd.org/Archive/ViewFile/Item/1331) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.sdpb.org/podcast/sdpb-news/2024-09-12/enrollment-report-shows-growth-in-state-university-system-sep-12) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/alison-d-nelson/) - [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/) - [New Magistrate Judge Appointed in the Second Judicial Circuit](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/new-magistrate-judge-appointed-in-the-second-judicial-circuit/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/Information/pressreleasesitem.aspx?SS7LrtqEeFe4w1a95YioUhmaP7%2bfQRGa69fKxigYrwc%3d) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://minnehahacounty.gov/commission/meetingInfo/minutes/2017/170926.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://lincolncountysd.org/Archive/ViewFile/Item/1331) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.sdpb.org/podcast/sdpb-news/2024-09-12/enrollment-report-shows-growth-in-state-university-system-sep-12) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/alison-d-nelson-sd-limited", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/alison-d-nelson-sd-limited", "name": "Alison D. 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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.