--- title: "Julia Dvorak | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/julia-dvorak-sd-trial" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Julia Dvorak 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, Fifth Judicial Circuit Aberdeen - appointed Dec 27 2023 by Gov Noem 10 counties - Private practice Siegel Barnett & Schutz Aberdeen 20+ years Partner adoption appellate civil federal criminal ### Education - Northern State University BS in sociology with a human-services emphasis and multiple minors, among them criminal justice. ### Additional information - Julia, also known as Julie Melius, Dvorak was appointed to South Dakota’s Fifth Judicial Circuit by Governor Kristi Noem at the beginning of January 2024. - Before appointment she practiced at Siegel, Barnett & Schutz in Aberdeen. - prior social worker volunteer - SD Bar Commissioner Strategic Planning Disciplinary CLE chair - B - S;; 1; 9; 9; 2 - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y;; o; f; - D; a; k; o; t; a; - K; n; u; d; s; o; n; - S; c; h; o; o; l;; o; f; - L; a; w; - J - D;; 2; 0; 0; 0;; s; t; e; r; l; i; n; g;; h; o; n; o; r;; g; r; a; d; u; a; t; e; - C; h; i; e; f; - R; e; v; i; e; w;; 1; 9; 9; 9; -; 2; 0; 0; 0 - She then worked nearly five years in child protection for the South Dakota Department of Social Services before law school. ## 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/fifth-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-fifth-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://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/fifth-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-fifth-judicial-circuit/) - [South Dakota Legislative Manual 2025](https://sdsos.gov/general-information/assets/bluebook-docs/2025BlueBook.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/fifth-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-fifth-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 Legislative Manual 2025](https://sdsos.gov/general-information/assets/bluebook-docs/2025BlueBook.pdf) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/fifth-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-fifth-judicial-circuit/) - [northern.edu](https://northern.edu/news/northern-alum-named-5th-circuit-court-judge) - [www.northernstatefoundation.com](https://www.northernstatefoundation.com/stories/circuit-court-judge/index.html) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/julia-dvorak/) - [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://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/fifth-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-fifth-judicial-circuit/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/julia-dvorak-sd-trial", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/julia-dvorak-sd-trial", "name": "Julia Dvorak | KnowJudges", "description": "Julia Dvorak, South Dakota Circuit Court. 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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.