Swanson Named Magistrate Judge In First Circuit

Minnehaha County Chief Deputy State's Attorney Gordon Swanson has been named as a magistrate judge in South Dakota's First Judicial Circuit.

Swanson will fill the seat being vacated by Magistrate Judge Pat Kiner, who is retiring March 8. He'll take the oath of office in Mitchell at the Davison County Courthouse on March 11.

Swanson will primarily handle cases in Davison, Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, McCook, and Turner counties.

Magistrate judges are authorized to handle preliminary hearings for felony cases, all criminal misdemeanor cases, small claims cases and civil cases of less than $12,000.

Swanson grew up on a farm near Dell Rapids. He earned his undergraduate degree at South Dakota State University and his law degree at the University of South Dakota.