--- title: "Cheryle W. Gering | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/cheryle-w-gering-sd-trial" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Cheryle W. Gering South Dakota Circuit Court · Presiding Circuit Judge ## Profile - Court: South Dakota Circuit Court - State: South Dakota - Role: Presiding 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 - The Presiding Judge of South Dakota’s First Judicial Circuit, serving since her 2017 appointment and most recently reappointed in January 2025 - Presiding Circuit Judge, First Judicial Circuit Yankton - appointed April 2011 by Gov Daugaard, Presiding since Nov 2017 - Described as South Dakota First Circuit judge appointed April 2011 by Governor Dennis Daugaard, succeeding Arthur Rusch; presiding judge appointed in 2017 by Chief Justice David Gilbertson and reappointed January 2025 by Chief Justice Steven Jensen - Legal Career: Private trial lawyer (1991–2011) at Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, Sioux Falls Appointed Circuit Court Judge, First Judicial Circuit (2011) by Governor Dennis Daugaard Re-elected in 2014 for a term expiring 2022 Appointed Presiding Judge in 2017 by then-Chief Justice David Gilbertson Reappointed in January 2025 by Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen - Partner 1996-2011 same firm Sioux Falls trial lawyer personal injury employment IP, argued SD Supreme & 8th Circuit - Litigation practice, Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, Sioux Falls, 1991–2011 - Summer clerk Davenport Evans Hurwitz & Smith 1990 ### Education - University of Iowa, J.D., high distinction, 1991 - University of South Dakota, B.A. in political science/criminal justice studies, 1988 ### Additional information - Associate 1991-1995 - As Presiding Judge, she oversees circuit court operations, presides over cases, and ensures efficient, fair justice delivery - The administrative head of the First Judicial Circuit, which includes Aurora, Bon Homme, Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Clay, Davison, Douglas, Hanson, Hutchinson, McCook, Turner, Union, and Yankton counties - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y;; o; f; - S; o; u; t; h; - D; a; k; o; t; a; - B - P; o; l; i; t; i; c; a; l; - S; c; i; e; n; c; e;; &; - C; r; i; m; i; n; a; l; - J; u; s; t; i; c; e;; 1; 9; 8; 8; - S; u; m; m; a; - C; u; m; - L; a; u; d; e; - P; r; e; s; i; d; e; n; t; i; a; l; - A; l; u; m; n; i; - S; c; h; o; l; a; r - C; o; l; l; e; g; e;; o; f; - D;; 1; 9; 9; 1; - H; i; g; h; - D; i; s; t; i; n; c; t; i; o; n;; 6; t; h;,; - M; o; o; t; - C; o; u; r; t; - C; a; p; t; a; i; n - Graduated sixth in a class of 215 ## 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/first-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-first-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/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](http://sdjudicial.com/uploads/firstcircuit/CircuitJudgeHistory.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://news.sd.gov/ (Gering appointment)) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](http://sdjudicial.com/uploads/firstcircuit/CircuitJudgeHistory.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://news.sd.gov/ (Gering appointment)) - [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/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](http://sdjudicial.com/uploads/firstcircuit/CircuitJudgeHistory.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://news.sd.gov/ (Gering appointment)) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/judge-cheryle-gering-reappointed-as-presiding-judge-of-first-judicial-circuit/) - [ballotpedia.org](https://ballotpedia.org/Cheryle_Gering) - [news.sd.gov](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sys_id=38be0d8c1b1869506e4aa97ae54bcbb0) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/cheryle-w-gering/) - [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/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](http://sdjudicial.com/uploads/firstcircuit/CircuitJudgeHistory.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://news.sd.gov/ (Gering appointment)) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/cheryle-w-gering-sd-trial", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/cheryle-w-gering-sd-trial", "name": "Cheryle W. 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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.