PIERRE, S.D.—The Seventh Judicial Circuit will hold investiture ceremonies for two new circuit court judges at the Pennington County Courthouse in Rapid City.
- Scott Roetzel will be officially sworn into office as a circuit court judge on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at 4 p.m. MDT.
- Eric Kelderman will be officially sworn into office as a circuit court judge on Friday, July 12, 2024, at 4 p.m. MDT.
Both ceremonies will be held in the historic rotunda of the Pennington County Courthouse at 315 St. Joseph St. in Rapid City. The events are open to the public.
Kelderman previously served as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota in its Rapid City office. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he was a judicial law clerk to three federal judges in South Dakota and Nebraska. Kelderman completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Sioux Falls, his master’s degree at the University of South Dakota, and his law degree from Creighton University.
Roetzel previously served as supervisor of the South Dakota Attorney General’s Rapid City office. Prior to that, he worked as an assistant U.S. Attorney, chief deputy and later senior litigation counsel for the Pennington County State’s Attorney’s Office, and with the law firm of Johnson Eiesland. Roetzel received his undergraduate degree and law degree from the University of South Dakota School of Law.
Both new judges will serve the Seventh Judicial Circuit, which includes Custer, Fall River, Oglala Lakota and Pennington counties.
