State Supreme Court justice Janine M. Kern annnounces plans to retire

South Dakota Supreme Court justice Janine M. Kern has announced plans to retire come this December. The state’s highest court made the announcement in a press release Wednesday. Justice Kern was appointed to the South Dakota Supreme Court in 2014 by then Governor Dennis Daugaard. She represented the first Supreme Court District which includes Custer, Lawrence, Meade and Pennington Counties. Before joining the Supreme Court, Justice Kern served as a circuit court judge for 18 years. In a statement about her retirement, Justice Kern called her time serving the state of South Dakota a deep honor and privilege.