Lori S. Wilbur at a glance
- Current role
- Former Judge
- Jurisdiction
- South Dakota · State
- Judicial service
- Former
Lori S. Wilbur
Former Judge · Supreme Court of South Dakota
Biography
Professional career
- 2011–2017: Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court, appointed by Governor Dennis Daugaard on August 16, 2011, to succeed Judith Meierhenry
- Native of Madison, South Dakota, who held the role of a Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court from 2011 until her retirement in June 2017
- Governor Dennis Daugaard appointed her to the Supreme Court on August 16, 2011, succeeding Judith Meierhenry; she was the court’s second woman justice
- 1999–2011: Circuit court judge, Sixth Judicial Circuit; presiding judge from 2007
- Sixth Circuit magistrate during 1992–1999, circuit judge during 1999–2011 and presiding judge during 2007–2011, helping develop drug and alcohol courts
- She also clerked for then–South Dakota Supreme Court Justice Zastrow
Education
- University of South Dakota School of Law — J.D. (1977)
- A Madison native, she obtained a University of South Dakota — B.A. (1974)
Additional information
- She was retained by voters in 2014 for an eight-year term
- JD in 1977, with admission through diploma privilege
- Known for her diligence, kindness, and contributions to innovative programs such as drug and alcohol courts
- Before joining the judiciary, she worked as assistant attorney general, held the role of general counsel for the South Dakota Board of Regents, and was staff attorney for the Legislative Research Council.
- She was admitted to the South Dakota bar under the state’s diploma privilege and did not take the traditional bar exam.
- Before judicial service she clerked for a state Supreme Court justice, held the role of assistant attorney general, and worked in legal roles for the Board of Regents, Legislative Research Council and Bureau of Personnel.
- Beyond her judicial work, she held the role of Secretary of the South Dakota Judicial Qualifications Commission and was past president of the South Dakota Judges Association
- Other service included secretary of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, president of the South Dakota Judges Association and state bar Ethics Committee membership.
- Birth place: Madison
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Electronic Devices And Media
Courtwide
South Dakota Supreme Court courtroom protocol instructs visitors not to bring cameras or recording equipment into the courtroom.
Do not bring food, drinks, cameras or recording equipment into the courtroom.South Dakota Supreme Court Courtroom Protocol ↗
Sources
Identity source checked August 22, 2026.
Biography sources checked October 2, 2026.
South Dakota Supreme Court Courtroom Protocol
Courtwide source · HTML · Source checked July 27, 2026
View South Dakota Supreme Court Courtroom Protocol ↗South Dakota Supreme Court Courtroom Protocol
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 27, 2026
View South Dakota Supreme Court Courtroom Protocol ↗Wikidata: Lori S. Wilbur
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View Wikidata: Lori S. Wilbur ↗South Dakota Supreme Court Courtroom Protocol
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 27, 2026
View South Dakota Supreme Court Courtroom Protocol ↗