Biden Administration nominates Sioux Falls lawyer, state judge to federal bench

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The Biden Administration announced nominees for two of South Dakota’s three federal district court judgeships Wednesday, plugging a hole in the federal judiciary here that has stretched resources.

Longtime Sioux Falls attorney Eric Schulte – a past president of the South Dakota Bar Association – and state Circuit Court Judge Camela Theeler were named to the federal bench by the Biden Administration. Both must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, but with support from Republican Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds, their confirmations are not thought to be in doubt.

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Thune and Rounds released a joint statement on the nominations:

“Eric Schulte and Camela Theeler are both well-qualified attorneys and highly respected within the South Dakota Bar Association and in their communities. Throughout our discussions with the White House, we stressed the importance of nominating candidates who would exercise judicial restraint and apply the law as written. We appreciate that the White House nominated two candidates who we believe fit that criteria.”

Their nominations followed a long period in which the Biden Administration sought to fill at least one opening, left by the retirement for former Judge Jeffrey Viken, with a Native American nominee. Potential replacements for Viken, who heard cases in the Western District of South Dakota in Rapid City, either withdrew or were unable to clear the extensive background check process.

Meanwhile, Judge Karen Schreier announced last year that she would take senior status once a nominee was confirmed to replace her.

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