--- title: "Eric J. Strawn | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/eric-j-strawn-sd-trial" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Eric J. Strawn 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 - Appointed Circuit Judge for South Dakota’s 4th Judicial Circuit, serving since April 27, 2017, under Governor Dennis Daugaard - Prior role: Magistrate Judge for the 4th Judicial Circuit since 2014, appointed by the South Dakota Supreme Court - Magistrate Judge, Fourth Judicial Circuit, 2014-2017 - Law clerk, Fourth Judicial Circuit - He also held a position as a special assistant attorney general for child-support enforcement and as a child-support referee ### Education - University of South Dakota JD in 2004. - His academic qualifications include a Black Hills State University BA in 2001 ### Additional information - Candidate for re-election in the 2022 South Dakota General Election for Circuit 4, Position A, and is currently scheduled to serve until December 31, 2030 - He had held the role of a Fourth Circuit magistrate since 2014 and managed its DUI Court, with service on the circuit Mental Health Board. - Appointed to South Dakota’s Fourth Judicial Circuit on April 27, 2017, by Governor Dennis Daugaard, succeeding Jerome Eckrich. - Appointed: April 27, 2017, by Governor Dennis Daugaard to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Jerome A. Eckrich - Served in the United States Marine Corps during 1993–1997. - United States Marine Corps service - After law school he clerked for Fourth Circuit Judge Warren Johnson and spent eight years in private civil and criminal practice. - Judge Strawn presides over cases in the 4th Judicial Circuit Court of South Dakota, which covers Butte, Corson, Dewey, Harding, Lawrence, Meade, Perkins, and Ziebach counties. - B; l; a; c; k; - H; i; l; l; s; - A;.;,;; 2; 0; 0; 1 - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y;; o; f; - S; o; u; t; h; - D; a; k; o; t; a; - S; c; h; o; o; l;; o; f; - L; a; w;,; - J;. - D;.;,;; 2; 0; 0; 4 ## 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/fourth-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-fourth-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/) - [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/) - [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/) - [news.sd.gov](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sys_id=806e5dc81b5c69506e4aa97ae54bcb0c) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/eric-j-strawn/) - [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/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/eric-j-strawn-sd-trial", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/eric-j-strawn-sd-trial", "name": "Eric J. 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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.