--- title: "James A. Power | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-a-power-sd-trial" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # James A. Power 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 - Circuit Judge, Second Judicial Circuit Position J Sioux Falls - appointed Aug 16 2018 by Gov Daugaard succeeding Larry Long - Shareholder Woods Fuller Shultz & Smith Sioux Falls civil litigation 2006-2018 - He clerked for Eleventh Circuit Judge John Cooper Godbold during 1992–1993, then held a position as a trial lawyer at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi in Atlanta during 1993–1998 - Law Clerk 11th Circuit Hon Godbold 1992-1993 ### Education - He grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, earned an economics bachelor’s degree with honors at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in 1989, and a George Washington University JD with high honors in 1992. ### Additional information - Appointed to South Dakota’s Second Judicial Circuit in August 2018 by Governor Dennis Daugaard, succeeding Larry Long. - He ran for a Second Circuit seat in 2014 against Joni Cutler. - He later studied theology and pastored a church in Andover, Minnesota, before joining Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith in Sioux Falls in 2006, and there he litigated until his judicial appointment. - Atlanta/Dallas - He also obtained a master’s degree in theology at Dallas Theological Seminary. - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y;; o; f; - P; e; n; n; s; y; l; v; a; n; i; a; - B - A; - E; c; o; n; o; m; i; c; s;; w; i; t; h;; h; o; n; o; r; s;; 1; 9; 8; 9;;; - D; a; l; l; a; s; - T; h; e; o; l; o; g; i; c; a; l; - S; e; m; i; n; a; r; y; - T; h; e; o; l; o; g; y - G; e; o; r; g; e; - L; a; w; - S; c; h; o; o; l; - D;; w; i; t; h;; h; i; g; h;; h; o; n; o; r; s;; 1; 9; 9; 2 ## 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/second-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-second-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/) - [South Dakota Legislative Manual 2025](https://sdsos.gov/general-information/assets/bluebook-docs/2025BlueBook.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sys_id=f17129881b9c69506e4aa97ae54bcb3d) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.Ballotready.Org/people/james-power) - [South Dakota Legislative Manual 2025](https://sdsos.gov/general-information/assets/bluebook-docs/2025BlueBook.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sys_id=f17129881b9c69506e4aa97ae54bcb3d) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.Ballotready.Org/people/james-power) - [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 Legislative Manual 2025](https://sdsos.gov/general-information/assets/bluebook-docs/2025BlueBook.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sys_id=f17129881b9c69506e4aa97ae54bcb3d) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.Ballotready.Org/people/james-power) - [ballotpedia.org](https://ballotpedia.org/James_A._Power) - [www.ballotready.org](https://www.ballotready.org/people/james-power) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/james-a-power/) - [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 Legislative Manual 2025](https://sdsos.gov/general-information/assets/bluebook-docs/2025BlueBook.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&sys_id=f17129881b9c69506e4aa97ae54bcb3d) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.Ballotready.Org/people/james-power) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-a-power-sd-trial", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-a-power-sd-trial", "name": "James A. Power | KnowJudges", "description": "James A. Power, 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/james-a-power-sd-trial#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-a-power-sd-trial#judge", "name": "James A. Power", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-a-power-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": "James A. Power", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-a-power-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.