Tucker appointed presiding judge for 3rd circuit

PIERRE – Circuit Judge Tim Tucker has been appointed presiding judge for South Dakota's Third Judicial Circuit.

State Supreme Court Chief Justice David Gilbertson says Tucker will become the circuit's presiding judge following the retirement of Judge David Gienapp. A presiding judge handles administrative issues in a circuit.

The Third Judicial Circuit covers 14 counties in eastern South Dakota.

Tucker is based in Madison. He has been a circuit judge since 1987 and is a 1982 graduate of the University of South Dakota School of Law.

The Third Judicial Circuit is served by six circuit court judges, one law-trained magistrate court judge, and clerk magistrates in each county in the circuit. The 14 counties in east-central South Dakota within the circuit include: Beadle, Brookings, Clark, Codington, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Miner, Moody and Sanborn.