--- title: "Karen E. Schreier | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karen-e-schreier" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-08" --- # Karen E. Schreier U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota · Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota - State: South Dakota - Role: Judge - Service status: senior - Last verified: 2026-10-02 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, District Court, D. South Dakota, 1999-present - Karen Elizabeth Schreier is a Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota, having assumed senior status on May 15, 2024 - In 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated her as U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota, a role she held from July 19, 1993, to July 7, 1999 - She held the role of a law clerk to South Dakota Supreme Court Justice Francis G. Dunn from 1981 to 1982 - As a senior judge, Schreier continues to hear cases in the District of South Dakota, though her workload is reduced compared to active service ### Education - A.B. from Saint Louis University in 1978 and her J.D. from the Saint Louis University School of Law in 1981. ### Additional information - She held the role of Chief Judge from 2006 to 2013. - On March 8, 1999, President Clinton nominated Schreier to the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota to replace Richard Battey. - From 1982 to 1993, Schreier practiced law in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. - Private practice, Sioux Falls, SD, 1982-1993 - In 1992, she was elected Chairwoman of the South Dakota Democratic Party. - Born 1956 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. - Date of birth: 1956-01-01 - The first woman to serve as U.S. Attorney in South Dakota - Birth place: Sioux Falls, SD ## 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 ### courtroom technology Scope: courtwide Courtwide presentation-related guidance applies to this judge. Evidence excerpt: December 14, 2018 . COURTROOM TECHNOLOGY : In an effort to keep up with evolving technology, all courtrooms in the District of South Dakota now feature high definition video evidence presentation equipment. This equipment can facilitate presentations that offer clearer and easier-to-understand information and is simple to use. [Attorney Newsletter December 2018 | District of South Dakota | United States District Court](https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/attynews20181214) Source checked: 2026-07-24 ### courtroom technology Scope: courtwide Courtwide presentation-related guidance applies to this judge. Evidence excerpt: 1 COURTROOM TECHNOLOGY MANUAL FOR ATTORNEYS United States District Courthouse Rapid City, South Dakota EVIDENCE PRESENTATION SYSTEMS: Evidence presentation systems are available in both the second and third floor courtrooms utilized by Chief Judge Karen E. Schreier, District Judge Andrew W. [CourtroomTechnologyManual_RC.pdf](https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/sites/sdd/files/CourtroomTechnologyManual_RC.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-24 ### civil remote testimony Scope: courtwide In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards. Evidence excerpt: For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location. [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### criminal recording and broadcasting Scope: courtwide Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception. Evidence excerpt: Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom. [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390961) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390961) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390961) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2870/karen-e-schreier/) - [Attorney Newsletter December 2018 | District of South Dakota | United States District Court](https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/attynews20181214) - [CourtroomTechnologyManual_RC.pdf](https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/sites/sdd/files/CourtroomTechnologyManual_RC.pdf) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [Federal Judicial Center — Biographical Directory of Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/sites/default/files/history/judges.csv) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390961) - [Attorney Newsletter December 2018 | District of South Dakota | United States District Court](https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/attynews20181214) - [CourtroomTechnologyManual_RC.pdf](https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/sites/sdd/files/CourtroomTechnologyManual_RC.pdf) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [Federal Judicial Center — Biographical Directory of Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/sites/default/files/history/judges.csv) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2870/karen-e-schreier/) - [Wikidata: Karen Schreier](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6370023) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390961) - [Attorney Newsletter December 2018 | District of South Dakota | United States District Court](https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/attynews20181214) - [CourtroomTechnologyManual_RC.pdf](https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/sites/sdd/files/CourtroomTechnologyManual_RC.pdf) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [Federal Judicial Center — Biographical Directory of Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/sites/default/files/history/judges.csv) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390961) - [Attorney Newsletter December 2018 | District of South Dakota | United States District Court](https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/attynews20181214) - [CourtroomTechnologyManual_RC.pdf](https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/sites/sdd/files/CourtroomTechnologyManual_RC.pdf) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [Federal Judicial Center — Biographical Directory of Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/sites/default/files/history/judges.csv) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karen-e-schreier", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karen-e-schreier", "name": "Karen E. 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Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.