South Dakota State Court Administrator Greg Sattizahn will serve as the next president of the Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA). This organization aims to improve the judicial system by addressing shared issues across all states.
Sattizahn served as a state court administrator for 10 years. In addition to engaging in private law practice, he also worked as a law clerk and staff attorney for the South Dakota Supreme Court. Additionally, Sattizahn worked for the Unified Judicial System (UJS) as the director of policy and legal services and legal and legislative counsel. He received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University and juris doctor from the University of South Dakota School of Law.
South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen said the UJS is proud of the services Sattizahn has provided for the state as the court administrator. “His accomplishments in that position and his professionalism have earned him the respect of his colleagues across the country as evidenced by his election to lead COSCA,” Chief Justice Jensen said. “We are lucky to have him here in South Dakota.”
Sattizahn said he is excited for the opportunity to focus on key issues across the United States.
“Being from here in South Dakota, access to justice in rural areas is something that I think there’s a need for nation-wide,” he said. “And so that’s certainly one of the areas that I’d like to focus on over the next year. And then probably the other maybe more emerging issue surrounds artificial intelligence and how that technology could impact the courts and what we need to be both warry of and what also could create some potential opportunities.”
President of the National Center for State Courts Mary McQueen agreed Sattizahn’s plan to focus on rural justice. “We look forward to Greg’s leadership as we work to expand access to justice in rural America” she said.
Sattizahn began his new position on Aug. 2 and will act as president for one year.