Chief Justice of SD Supreme Court concerned with proposals to allow some lawyers to skip bar exam

The Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court is concerned with proposals to do away with bar exams for new lawyers in the state.

Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen spoke Wednesday before a joint session of the legislature for the annual State of the Judiciary address.

Jensen says he wants the Supreme Court to study and address how new lawyers are admitted in South Dakota.

Last year, the legislature considered a bill that would have given University of South Dakota Law School graduates “diploma” privilege to practice law without taking the bar exam.

Jensen argued in favor of requiring all prospective lawyers in the state to take the exam…

Jensen says clients place their confidence in lawyers to represent them in questions concerning their property, their liberty, and in the most serious criminal cases, their lives.

January 12, 2023