South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen has appointed Judge Heidi L. Linngren as presiding judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, effective Dec. 9, 2025. She succeeds Judge Robert Gusinsky, who was appointed by Gov. Larry Rhoden to the South Dakota Supreme Court.
The Seventh Judicial Circuit covers Custer, Fall River, Oglala Lakota, and Pennington counties. Linngren has served as a circuit court judge since 2015 and previously as a magistrate judge from 2011 to 2015.
A Watertown native, Linngren earned degrees from Northern State University and the University of South Dakota School of Law. Her career includes roles with the U.S. District Court, Pennington County Public Defender’s Office, Rensch Law Firm, and the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office. She has also presided over DUI Court, served as backup judge for Drug Court, and taught at multiple South Dakota universities.
Presiding judges are appointed under the South Dakota Constitution and oversee court administration while maintaining full caseloads.
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