S.D. 5th Jud. Cir. Media Information

STATE OF SOUTH

FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

PRESIDING JUDGE Jean E. Hutson 101 SE 1ST Ave Ste 300

Gregg C. Magera Circuit Court Administrator P. O. Box 1087

CIRCUIT JUDGES ---------- Aberdeen, SD 57402-1087

Richard A. Sommers Wendy Osterkamp-Wilson Phone: 605-626-2003

Marshall Lovrien Administrative Assistant Fax: 605-626-2491

JM Dvorak Email: 5thcircuit@ujs.state.sd.us

MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Cullen McNeece

Fifth Circuit Court – Media Information

MEDIA RELATIONS

The court staff are there to help you. However, their role is to provide you with the information you need, not to

provide legal advice or speculate on how a case will proceed. They can provide you with any public information

they have available and explain process and procedures in general. The clerks may refer you to other resources

to help you more effectively.

MEDIA LIAISON

Presiding Judge Gregg C. Magera has appointed Circuit Administrator Jean E. Hutson as the Media Liaison for

the Fifth Judicial Circuit. Ms. Hutson is the central contact person for all media inquiries, including requests for

expanded media coverage (recording) of a court matter. Her office is on the second floor of the Brown County

Courthouse. She can be reached at 605-626-2003 or at Jean.Hutson@ujs.state.sd.us. More information

regarding resources for the media and how to request expanded media coverage is available on the UJS website

at https://ujs.sd.gov/for-the-media.

Requests for access to documents in a case file should be directed to the Clerk of Court’s office in the

applicable county. A clerk will inform you of costs for copying or conducting records searches.

DECORUM

Media representatives are expected to be sufficiently familiar with court proceedings to conduct themselves so

as not to interfere with the dignity of the proceedings, or to distract counsel or the court. All media personnel

shall be properly attired.

The Judge presiding over a specific case may make special rules as to where interviews may be conducted in

or around the courthouse. This may change from time to time depending on the nature of the case. Generally,

interviews of parties, counsel, witnesses, or members of the public are not allowed on the same floor as the

courtroom nor in the Clerk’s office. Often, the Judge handling a high-profile case may issue an Order for

Expanded Media Coverage which sets out how the media may proceed during the trial. Check with Media

Liaison Jean Hutson if you are not sure how to proceed.

The courtrooms are open to the public and the media except in those cases that are designated

confidential by law. The Judge may designate special assigned seating for media in the courtroom but is not

required to do so.

CAMERAS AND EQUIPMENT OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM

Reporters or other media personnel will not be allowed to impede the movement of court staff, lawyers,

parties, witnesses, or spectators in and out of the courthouse or the courtroom. This may include areas near

stairwells or elevators, certain interior office doorways, or entrances/exits to the building where the proceeding

is being held. This applies to interviews and reporting. Use of media equipment/devices is allowed in public

areas of the courthouse, but media may not take pictures or video through any courtroom door windows. Media

should consult with any law enforcement present and/or the Media Liaison as to where they are allowed to set

up.

CAMERAS AND EQUIPMENT IN THE COURTROOM

Cameras, video equipment, and recording devices are allowed in the courtroom only if specifically

authorized by order of the Judge presiding over the case. Further information can be found in Supreme

Court Rule 10-09 and SDCL Chapter 16-20 at https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/16-20.

Cell phones, pagers, beepers, smart phones, or similar electronic devices if allowed in certain Fifth

Circuit courtrooms must be turned off before entering the courtroom and are not to be activated in the

courtroom.

FEES

There is a fee for photocopy and fax services. Photocopy fees vary. The cost is usually $.20/page.

A record search fee may apply if you do not have a file number for the case or person you are inquiring about

and are not a party to the case. That fee ranges from $5-$20.

Payments are accepted at the time the service is provided unless you have an established charge account with

the Unified Judicial System. To request an account, please contact UJS Public Access Record System (PARS)

support at UJSPARSsupport@ujs.state.sd.us.

BROWN, CAMPBELL, DAY, EDMUNDS, FAULK, MARSHALL, MCPHERSON, ROBERTS, SPINK,

WALWORTH