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Office of Gov. Dennis Daugaard
500 E. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, S.D. 57501
605-773-3212
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, April 28, 2017
CONTACT: Tony Venhuizen or Kelsey Pritchard at 605-773-3212
Gov. Daugaard Appoints Swanson As Fourth Circuit Judge
PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced today that he will appoint Magistrate Judge Gordon D. Swanson as a circuit court judge in South Dakota’s Fourth Circuit Court.
“Judge Swanson is a hard-working and respected magistrate judge,” said Gov. Daugaard. “He brings a breadth of experience to this appointment, and I thank him for accepting it.”
Swanson will fill a vacancy created by the upcoming June retirement of Hon. Randall L. Macy. The Fourth Circuit includes Butte, Corson, Dewey, Harding, Lawrence, Meade, Perkins and Ziebach counties.
“I am humbled to be appointed, and look forward to returning to the Northern Hills,” Swanson said. “I am grateful to Gov. Daugaard for the confidence he has shown, and assure him that I will do my best to live up to it every day.”
Swanson currently serves as a magistrate judge in the First Circuit, based in Mitchell, and has held that position since 2013. He has served as the James Valley Drug Court judge for four years. Prior to serving as a judge, he spent seven years in private legal practice in Sturgis. From 2001 to 2003 he served as the Meade County states attorney, and from 2003 to 2013 he was chief deputy states attorney for Minnehaha County.
Swanson is a native of Brandon and a 1984 graduate of South Dakota State University. From 1984 to 1987, he served in the United States Army. Following his military service, Swanson attended the University of South Dakota School of Law, graduating in 1992 as a Thomas Sterling Honor Graduate. Following law school, he clerked for Senior U.S. District Judge Andrew W. Bogue.
Swanson and his wife, Lesli, have three adult children and one grandchild. Swanson will be relocating to the Fourth Circuit to accept the appointment.
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*A photo of Judge Swanson is attached.