South Dakota advances First Amendment by giving public access to court inbox

In a court order Thursday, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Piersol kept jurisdiction over an action brought by Courthouse News while the South Dakota courts put in place a system that gives public access to new civil complaints — the grist of a trial court’s mill — when they cross into court.

“Defendants, through the South Dakota State Court Administrator's Office, have agreed to implement an online portal to provide registered users with on-receipt access to new non-confidential civil complaints filed with all South Dakota circuit courts in all counties upon the complaints' receipt by the South Dakota courts via the statewide e-filing system,” wrote Piersol.

He granted the joint request by this news service and the administrator of the South Dakota courts to stay the litigation. The stay lasts until July 2025 which is when the portal that allows on-receipt access will be completed.

Click here to read more.