--- title: "Michelle K. Comer | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michelle-k-comer-sd-trial" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Michelle K. Comer South Dakota Circuit Court · Presiding Circuit Judge ## Profile - Court: South Dakota Circuit Court - State: South Dakota - Role: Presiding 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 - Presiding Circuit Judge, Fourth Judicial Circuit Deadwood - presiding effective June 9 2026 replacing Michael Day, Circuit Judge since 2015, Magistrate & Drug Court 2006-2015 - Michelle K. Comer has held the position of a South Dakota Fourth Judicial Circuit judge since 2015 - The Presiding Judge of South Dakota’s Fourth Judicial Circuit, appointed May 12, 2026, to succeed retiring Judge Michael W. Day - Her career encompassed a Seventh Circuit clerkship in 1994, Lawrence County deputy state’s attorney service in 1995, partnership at Fuller, Tellinghuisen, Gordon & Eckrich during 1996–2004, solo practice at Percy Law during 2004–2006, and Fourth Circuit magistrate and drug-court judging during 2006–2015 - Law clerk 1994 - Judge Comer’s long-standing service to the Fourth Judicial Circuit and her broad legal experience make her a recognized leader in South Dakota’s judicial system ### Education - University of South Dakota — J.D. (1994) - Pepperdine University, psychology bachelor’s degree, 1990 ### Additional information - Began her duties on June 9, 2026, following Judge Day’s retirement on June 8, 2026 SD Judicial System - Deputy States Attorney 1995 - Lead High School, 1986 - Several law firms - As presiding judge, she oversees court operations within the circuit while maintaining her own caseload - Judge Comer presides over the Fourth Judicial Circuit, which includes Butte, Corson, Dewey, Harding, Lawrence, Meade, Perkins, and Ziebach counties - L; e; a; d; - S;; 1; 9; 8; 6;;; - P; e; p; p; e; r; d; i; n; e; - B - A; - P; s; y; c; h; o; l; o; g; y;; 1; 9; 9; 0 - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y;; o; f; - S; o; u; t; h; - D; a; k; o; t; a; - J - D;; 1; 9; 9; 4 ## 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/fourth-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-fourth-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/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.kccrradio.com/2026/05/13/new-presiding-judge-appointed-to-oversee-fourth-judicial-circuit/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/fourth-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-fourth-judicial-circuit/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.kccrradio.com/2026/05/13/new-presiding-judge-appointed-to-oversee-fourth-judicial-circuit/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/fourth-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-fourth-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/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.kccrradio.com/2026/05/13/new-presiding-judge-appointed-to-oversee-fourth-judicial-circuit/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/fourth-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-fourth-judicial-circuit/) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/ujs-news/chief-justice-steven-r-jensen-appoints-judge-michelle-k-comer-as-presiding-judge-of-fourth-judicial-circuit/) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/michelle-k-comer/) - [www.ballotready.org](https://www.ballotready.org/people/michelle-k-comer) - [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/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.kccrradio.com/2026/05/13/new-presiding-judge-appointed-to-oversee-fourth-judicial-circuit/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/fourth-judicial-circuit/circuit-contacts-fourth-judicial-circuit/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michelle-k-comer-sd-trial", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michelle-k-comer-sd-trial", "name": "Michelle K. 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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.