--- title: "Dawn M. Elshere | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dawn-m-elshere-sd-trial" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Dawn M. Elshere 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 - She had held the role of a Third Circuit magistrate during 2015–2017 and as Codington County state’s attorney during 2007–2015 - Law clerk to Judge Warren Johnson, 1994-1995 - Earlier roles included deputy state’s attorney in Brown and Codington counties, private practice, and a clerkship for Fourth Circuit Judge Warren Johnson ### Education - Her education was a University of South Dakota business-administration BA in 1991 and JD in 1994. ### Additional information - Appointed to South Dakota’s Third Judicial Circuit on November 22, 2017, by Governor Dennis Daugaard, succeeding Vince Foley. - Private practice, approximately five years - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y;; o; f; - S; o; u; t; h; - D; a; k; o; t; a;,; - A;.;; i; n;; b; u; s; i; n; e; s; s;; a; d; m; i; n; i; s; t; r; a; t; i; o; n;,;; 1; 9; 9; 1 - S; c; h; o; o; l;; o; f; - L; a; w;,; - J;. - D;.;,;; 1; 9; 9; 4 - She earlier administered the Beadle County Drug Court and served on judicial training and SAVIN advisory committees, with training work for the South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault. - She was born in Hosmer, South Dakota. ## 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/) - [Gov. Daugaard Appoints Dawn M. Elshere As Third Circuit Judge](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sys_id=b7cf1d801b9c69506e4aa97ae54bcbba) - [Gov. Daugaard Appoints Dawn M. Elshere As Third Circuit Judge](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sys_id=b7cf1d801b9c69506e4aa97ae54bcbba) - [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/) - [Gov. Daugaard Appoints Dawn M. Elshere As Third Circuit Judge](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sys_id=b7cf1d801b9c69506e4aa97ae54bcbba) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/dawn-m-elshere/) - [ballotpedia.org](https://ballotpedia.org/Dawn_Elshere) - [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/) - [Gov. Daugaard Appoints Dawn M. Elshere As Third Circuit Judge](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sys_id=b7cf1d801b9c69506e4aa97ae54bcbba) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dawn-m-elshere-sd-trial", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dawn-m-elshere-sd-trial", "name": "Dawn M. Elshere | KnowJudges", "description": "Dawn M. Elshere, South Dakota Circuit Court. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-07", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dawn-m-elshere-sd-trial#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dawn-m-elshere-sd-trial#judge", "name": "Dawn M. Elshere", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dawn-m-elshere-sd-trial", "jobTitle": "Circuit Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "South Dakota Circuit Court" }, "sameAs": [ "https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/" ], "alumniOf": [] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "South Dakota", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/south-dakota" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dawn M. Elshere", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dawn-m-elshere-sd-trial" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System: Circuit Court Media Coverage](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-044935a56b62369d8361ec08) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. 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.