South Dakota Supreme Court Justice Steven L. Zinter of Pierre has passed away from complications related to surgery.
Chief Justice David Gilbertson says Zinter was a giant in South Dakota’s legal community and judiciary.
Gov. Dennis Daugaard says Justice Zinter was a towering figure in South Dakota law and a consummate public servant. He overcame his disability to reach the pinnacle of his profession and he was a role model and inspiration to many.
The Governor has ordered that flags across South Dakota fly at half-staff immediately and until Justice Zinter’s interment, at a date yet to be determined.
Steven L. Zinter was the 45th justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court. Justice Zinter’s death is the first by a sitting justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court since the death of Justice James Doyle in 1976.
Justice Zinter was appointed to the Supreme Court on April 2, 2002, by then Gov. William J. Janklow. Zinter was an Assistant Attorney General for the State of South Dakota from 1975-1978. From 1978 to 1986, he worked as an attorney in the private sector and also served as the Hughes County State’s Attorney from 1980-1986.
He was a Circuit Judge from 1987-97 when he was appointed Presiding Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit. Zinter served in that capacity until his appointment to the Supreme Court to represent the Third Supreme Court District (which includes Beadle, Bennett, Brookings, Brule, Buffalo, Fall River, Haakon, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Jackson, Jerauld, Jones, Kingsbury, Lake, Lyman, Mellette, Miner, Moody, Sanborn, Oglala Lakota, Stanley, Sully, Todd and Tripp counties). Zinter was retained by the voters in 2006 and 2014.
Justice Zinter and his wife, Sandy, had two daughters and five grandchildren.
