This interview originally aired on In the Moment on SDPB Radio.
South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Jensen recaps his annual address and discusses the changes he wants for indigent legal defense.
South Dakota provides and pays for legal defense for those who can't pay themselves differently than other states. These services have become too big of a financial burden for counties alone. Jensen says he's hopeful the system will start to change this session.
We also explore the idea of "legal deserts" and why rural communities need more lawyers.