--- title: "Heidi L. Linngren | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/heidi-l-linngren-sd-trial" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Heidi L. Linngren 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 - Circuit Court Judge (2015–present): Elected in 2014 for a term expiring 2022 - Heidi L. Linngren has held the position of a South Dakota Seventh Judicial Circuit judge since 2015 following election in 2014 - The Presiding Judge of South Dakota’s Seventh Judicial Circuit, appointed by Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen on November 20, 2025, to take office December 9, 2025 - Magistrate Judge (2011–2015): Appointed to the Seventh Judicial Circuit, serving as judge for Pennington County DUI Court and backup judge for Pennington County Drug Court - South Dakota Attorney General's Office, 2005-2011 - She clerked for federal Judge Charles Kornmann during 2000–2001, held a position as a Pennington County public defender during 2001–2003, practiced at Rensch Law Firm during 2003–2005, and held the role of an assistant attorney general in Rapid City during 2005–2011 - Law clerk to U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann, 2000-2001 - Presiding Judge for the Seventh Judicial Circuit, which covers Custer, Fall River, Oglala Lakota, and Pennington counties ### Education - a University of South Dakota JD in 2000. - Raised in Watertown, she obtained a Northern State University BA in elementary education and English in 1997 ### Additional information - Seventh Circuit magistrate during 2011–2015 and has handled Pennington County DUI Court and backup Drug Court duties. - Private practice, 2003-2005 - Before joining the judiciary, Judge Linngren worked in public defense, private legal practice, and as a special prosecutor for the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office. - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y;,;; b; a; c; h; e; l; o; r; '; s;; d; e; g; r; e; e; s;; i; n;; e; l; e; m; e; n; t; a; r; y;; e; d; u; c; a; t; i; o; n;; a; n; d; - E; n; g; l; i; s; h;,;; 1; 9; 9; 7 - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y;; o; f; - D; a; k; o; t; a; - S; c; h; o; o; l;; o; f; - L; a; w;,; - J;. - D;.;,;; 2; 0; 0; 0 - Adjunct professor - She has also taught Constitutional Law and Court Proceedings at the University of South Dakota, Black Hills State University, and Western Dakota Technical College - Robert Gusinsky, who joined the South Dakota Supreme Court. - In this role, she provides administrative leadership for the circuit’s courts, judges, and staff - Teaching work includes the University of South Dakota, Black Hills State University and Western Dakota Technical College, among them constitutional law and court proceedings. ## 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/seventh-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-seventh-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/) - [Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen Appoints Judge Heidi L. Linngren as Presiding Judge of Seventh Judicial Circuit](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/chief-justice-steven-r-jensen-appoints-judge-heidi-l-linngren-as-presiding-judge-of-seventh-judicial-circuit/) - [Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen Appoints Judge Heidi L. Linngren as Presiding Judge of Seventh Judicial Circuit](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/chief-justice-steven-r-jensen-appoints-judge-heidi-l-linngren-as-presiding-judge-of-seventh-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/) - [Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen Appoints Judge Heidi L. Linngren as Presiding Judge of Seventh Judicial Circuit](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/chief-justice-steven-r-jensen-appoints-judge-heidi-l-linngren-as-presiding-judge-of-seventh-judicial-circuit/) - [ballotpedia.org](https://ballotpedia.org/Heidi_Linngren) - [www.wdt.edu](https://www.wdt.edu/directory/heidi-linngren/) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/heidi-l-linngren/) - [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/) - [Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen Appoints Judge Heidi L. Linngren as Presiding Judge of Seventh Judicial Circuit](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/chief-justice-steven-r-jensen-appoints-judge-heidi-l-linngren-as-presiding-judge-of-seventh-judicial-circuit/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/heidi-l-linngren-sd-trial", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/heidi-l-linngren-sd-trial", "name": "Heidi L. Linngren | KnowJudges", "description": "Heidi L. Linngren, 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/heidi-l-linngren-sd-trial#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/heidi-l-linngren-sd-trial#judge", "name": "Heidi 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.