Office of Gov. Dennis Daugaard

500 E. Capitol Ave.

Pierre, S.D. 57501

605-773-3212

www.sd.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Thursday, May 7, 2015

CONTACT:  Tony Venhuizen or Kelsey Pritchard at 605-773-3212

Gov. Daugaard Appoints Carmen Means As Third Circuit Judge

PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced today that he will appoint Magistrate Judge Carmen A. Means as a circuit court judge in South Dakota’s Third Circuit Court in Watertown. 

“I thank Judge Means for accepting this appointment,” said Gov. Daugaard. “She is a talented and hard-working magistrate judge, and I know she will serve our state well on the circuit bench. I especially appreciate Judge Means’ work expanding drug courts in the Third Circuit.”

Means will fill the vacancy created by the upcoming June retirement of Hon. Robert L. Timm. The Third Circuit includes Beadle, Brookings, Clark, Codington, Deuel, Kingsbury, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Jerauld, Lake, Miner, Moody and Sanborn counties.

"It has been a privilege to serve the Third Circuit as a Magistrate Judge, and I look forward to new challenges serving on the Circuit Court bench,” said Judge Means.

Means currently serves as a magistrate judge in the Third Circuit, a position she has held since 2013. Prior to that service, she worked in private practice in Huron with the Blue & Haeder Law Office. Means also worked in the Minnehaha County Public Defender’s Office and the Minnehaha County Public Advocate’s Office. She currently serves as a member of the South Dakota Bar Commission and of the Drug Court Advisory Council.

Means is a native of Madison, South Dakota. She earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from Georgetown University in 1990 and is a 1993 graduate of Creighton University School of Law.

While in Sioux Falls, Means volunteered as a judge for Sioux Falls Teen Court, and was the Sioux Falls Mentorship Program’s “Outstanding Mentor” in 2003. She is married to David Keefe of Huron, and they have two children, C.J. and Lisa Keefe.

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