Save the Date
April 3, 2025
Muenster University Center Ballroom, Vermillion
9:00am to 4:00pm
Make plans to join us for the 4th Annual Legal Workshop. This FREE workshop is intended for law students, legal professionals, and others interested in better understanding child welfare related law. This year’s workshop will feature two topics: Indian Child Welfare Act and Representation of Immigrants and Refugees. Light breakfast & lunch are provided.
The Legal Workshop is sponsored by the South Dakota Unified Judicial System Court Improvement Program. CPCM and the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law are partner organizations for the event.
Details for the 2025 Event are coming soon.
2025 Event Highlights
9:00 Welcome and Opening Remarks by Chief Justice Jensen
9:15 ICWA: The History and a South Dakota Perspective presented by Dan Lewerns, UND School of Law and Director of Indian Law
This session will discuss why the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was passed; the principles behind ICWA and why they are still relevant and important today; identifying Native American children early; connection to family, community, and culture; and active efforts.
10:15 A State Perspective on ICWA
11:15 Break
11:30 ICWA in Practice
12:30 Lunch
1:00 Representation of Immigrants and Refugees presented by Taneeza Islam, Director, SD Voices for Peace
This session’s details are coming soon.
4:30 Conclusion
CHIEF JUSTICE STEVEN R. JENSEN
South Dakota Unified Judicial System
Chief Justice Jensen was appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Dennis Daugaard. He was sworn in on November 3, 2017. Chief Justice Jensen was selected by his colleagues on the Court to serve as Chief Justice beginning in January, 2021. He was reselected to a second, four-year term as Chief Justice beginning Jan. 6, 2025. Chief Justice Jensen represents the Fourth Supreme Court District consisting of Union, Clay, Yankton, Hutchinson, Hanson, Davison, Bon Homme, Douglas, Aurora, Charles Mix, Gregory, McCook, Turner and Lincoln Counties. Justice Jensen grew up on a farm near Wakonda, South Dakota. He received his undergraduate degree from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1985 and his Juris Doctor from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1988. He clerked for Justice Richard W. Sabers on the South Dakota Supreme Court before entering private practice in 1989. In 2003, Chief Justice Jensen was appointed as a First Judicial Circuit Judge by former Governor Mike Rounds. He became the Presiding Judge of the First Judicial Circuit in 2011. Chief Justice Jensen served as chair of the Unified Judicial System’s Presiding Judges Council, president of the SD Judges Association, and has served on other boards and commissions. In 2009, Chief Justice Jensen was appointed as a Judicial Fellow to the Advanced Science and Technology Adjudication Resource Center in Washington D.C. Justice Jensen and his wife, Sue, have three children and three grandchildren.
DAN LEWERNS
UND School of Law and Director of Indian Law
Bio coming soon
TANEEZA ISLAM
Director, SD Voices for Peace
Bio coming soon.
