--- title: "Christina L. Klinger | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/christina-l-klinger-sd-trial" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Christina L. Klinger 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 - Chief Justice Steven Jensen reappointed her as presiding judge on January 7, 2025 - Presiding Circuit Judge, Sixth Judicial Circuit Pierre - appointed circuit 2019 by Gov Noem, Presiding effective Sept 24 2023 - Appointed to the Sixth Judicial Circuit in 2019 and became its presiding judge in 2023 - The Presiding Circuit Judge for South Dakota’s Sixth Judicial Circuit, appointed in 2019 by Governor Kristi Noem to replace Mark Barnett - Private practice May Adam Gerdes & Thompson Pierre 2004-2019 criminal family workers comp - Law clerk Third Circuit 2003-2004 - Court reporters for Judge Klinger’s cases include Carissa Lewis and Chelsea Eilers - The circuit includes four circuit judges and one magistrate judge ### Education - Undergraduate degree at the University of South Dakota in 2000 and her law degree there in 2003. - University of South Dakota — J.D. ### Additional information - She clerked in the Third Judicial Circuit during 2003–2004, then practiced with May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson. - Judge Klinger presides over the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court, which covers 14 counties in western South Dakota. - Her practice included criminal and family law, workers’ compensation and insurance matters. - 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; s; y; c; h; o; l; o; g; y;; &; - C; r; i; m; i; n; a; l; - J; u; s; t; i; c; e;; 2; 0; 0; 0 - S; c; h; o; o; l;; o; f; - L; a; w; - D;; 2; 0; 0; 3 ## 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/sixth-judicial-circuit/court-contacts-sixth-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](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0034788) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/christina-klinger-appointed-as-presiding-judge-of-the-sixth-judicial-circuit/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0034788) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/christina-klinger-appointed-as-presiding-judge-of-the-sixth-judicial-circuit/) - [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](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0034788) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/christina-klinger-appointed-as-presiding-judge-of-the-sixth-judicial-circuit/) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/judge-christina-klinger-reappointed-as-presiding-judge-of-sixth-judicial-circuit/) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/christina-l-klinger/) - [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](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0034788) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/christina-klinger-appointed-as-presiding-judge-of-the-sixth-judicial-circuit/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/christina-l-klinger-sd-trial", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/christina-l-klinger-sd-trial", "name": "Christina L. 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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.