Sioux Falls man loses bid to have sister reinstated at LifeScape

Supreme Court rules that non-attorney cannot appeal on behalf of someone if they have 'power of attorney'

A Sioux Falls man who attempted to represent his sister in court did not have standing to do so because he is not a licensed attorney, the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

Bruce Danielson attempted to represent his sister, Terese, in an administrative appeal. Danielson is her court-appointed guardian.

The issue started when Terese, who has developmental disabilities, was a resident at LifeScape, a provider for both in-home and out-of-home services for people with developmental disabilities. In 2023, she began acting aggressively toward staff, with LifeScape documenting the behavior, according to the Court’s opinion.