--- title: "Richard Sommers | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-sommers-sd-trial" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Richard Sommers 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 Position D Aberdeen - serving 2014-present - Practiced at Bantz, Gosch and Cremer from 1989 to 2014 and held the role of Brown County deputy state’s attorney from 1987 to 1989 - Judge Richard A. Sommers joined the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court of South Dakota by Governor Dennis Daugaard in December 2013, filling the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Jack R. Von Wald - Attorney Brookings & Britton 1989 - Attorney at Bantz, Gosch & Cremer starting in 1989 and held the role of chief deputy state’s attorney in Brown County from 1987 to 1989 - Chief Deputy State's Attorney Brown County 1986-1989 - Early in his career, he practiced at Brookings & Britton and also held the role of city attorney for several municipalities, specializing in water law ### Education - Undergraduate degree at South Dakota State University and a JD at the University of South Dakota in 1984. ### Additional information - He was reelected in 2014 and ran in 2022. - Governor Dennis Daugaard appointed him in December 2013 in connection with Jack Von Wald’s January 2014 retirement. - Member Bantz Gosch Cremer Aberdeen 1989-2014 criminal real estate estate litigation family - S; o; u; t; h; - D; a; k; o; t; a; - B - S;; 1; 9; 8; 1 - U; n; i; v; e; r; s; i; t; y;; o; f; - J - D;; 1; 9; 8; 4;; a; d; m; i; t; t; e; d;; 1; 9; 8; 4 - Richard A. (Rick) Sommers serves in the Fifth Judicial Circuit. ## 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/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.BallotReady.org/people/richard-a-sommers) - [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/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.BallotReady.org/people/richard-a-sommers) - [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/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.BallotReady.org/people/richard-a-sommers) - [ballotpedia.org](https://ballotpedia.org/Rick_Sommers) - [www.ballotready.org](https://www.ballotready.org/people/richard-a-sommers) - [ujs.sd.gov](https://ujs.sd.gov/court-finder/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/) - [Biography source supplied in SD-Judges.csv](https://www.BallotReady.org/people/richard-a-sommers) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-sommers-sd-trial", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-sommers-sd-trial", "name": "Richard Sommers | KnowJudges", "description": "Richard Sommers, South Dakota Circuit Court. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-07", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-sommers-sd-trial#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-sommers-sd-trial#judge", "name": "Richard Sommers", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-sommers-sd-trial", "jobTitle": "Circuit Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "South Dakota Circuit Court" }, "sameAs": [ "https://ujs.sd.gov/sd-unified-judicial-system-directory/" ], "alumniOf": [] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "South Dakota", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/south-dakota" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Sommers", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-sommers-sd-trial" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [South Dakota Unified Judicial System: Circuit Court Media Coverage](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-044935a56b62369d8361ec08) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. 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.