--- title: "Lawrence L. Piersol | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/lawrence-l-piersol" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-08" --- # Lawrence L. Piersol 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 - U.S. District Judge, District of South Dakota, 1993-present; senior status since 2009-07-31 - After military service, Piersol entered private legal practice in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, from 1968 to 1993, with a brief tenure as United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota from 1977 to 1981. - U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps (1965–1968) - The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, University of Virginia ### Education - University of South Dakota and its School of Law, respectively — J.D. (1965) - University of South Dakota — B.A. (1962) ### Additional information - Notable rulings include upholding state law regarding party membership requirements for ballot access in a 2014 Public Utilities Commissioner case, and sentencing an Iowa man for threatening a federal judge, demonstrating his role in maintaining judicial integrity and adherence to federal law. - He held the role of chief judge from 1999 to 2005 and assumed senior status on July 31, 2009, allowing him to maintain a reduced caseload while continuing to hear cases - Nominated to the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota by President Bill Clinton on August 6, 1993, to fill the seat vacated by Donald J. Porter. - received his commission on November 22, 1993. - He was also active in politics as a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives, serving as Minority Whip (1971–1972) and Majority Leader (1973–1974) - U.S. Army, JAG Corps, 1965-1968 - Lawrence Leroy Piersol was born on October 21, 1940, in Vermillion, South Dakota. - Date of birth: 1940-01-01 - Judge Piersol has presided over a wide range of civil and criminal cases in South Dakota. - Birth place: Vermillion, 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/1386346) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1386346) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1386346) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2568/lawrence-l-piersol/) - [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 biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1386346) - [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) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2568/lawrence-l-piersol/) - [Judge Lawrence L. Piersol](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1386346) - [Wikidata: Lawrence L. Piersol](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6504299) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1386346) - [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 biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1386346) - [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) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/lawrence-l-piersol", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/lawrence-l-piersol", "name": "Lawrence L. 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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.