Pennington County will host two treatment court graduation ceremonies in February. The Pennington County Veterans Court ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. MST in Courtroom C2 on the third floor of the Pennington County Courthouse, located at 315 St. Joseph St., Rapid City. The Pennington County Drug Court graduation will take place on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 3 p.m. MST at the Emergency Operations Center on the ground level of 130 Kansas City St., Rapid City.
The public and media are invited to attend both events, which celebrate the achievements of graduates from these programs. Cameras are permitted at the ceremonies. For those unable to attend in person, both graduations will be streamed live online at https://www.sdpb.org/sdnetwork/ujs/court2.
Pennington County Treatment Courts include drug court, DUI court, veterans court and mental health court. These courts offer sentencing alternatives focused on providing treatment for individuals affected by substance use disorders or mental illness who may otherwise face repeated arrests without intervention. According to organizers, “This is a public health approach to justice reform in which treatment providers partner with probation, defense, prosecution, law enforcement and the judge to ensure participants receive personalized and evidence-based treatment, ongoing support and recovery services to improve their overall wellbeing.”
The program aims to reduce recidivism and save taxpayer funds by combining supervision with access to treatment and support services. Organizers state that “treatment courts are an effective strategy for treating substance misuse and mental illness while reducing recidivism and saving taxpayer dollars.” They add that “these courts have proven that a combination of supervision, treatment and support can lead people with substance use disorders and/or mental health disorders into lives of stability, wellness and recovery.”
The South Dakota Unified Judicial System oversees these programs as part of its role as the judicial branch of state government. It supports judicial education and promotes transparency in court proceedings while serving residents throughout South Dakota (https://ujs.sd.gov/). The system encompasses the Supreme Court, circuit courts and magistrate courts; it also provides public access to court records along with online resources such as legal forms and assistance (https://ujs.sd.gov/).
More information about South Dakota’s treatment courts is available at https://ujs.sd.gov/programs-services/treatment-courts. For details regarding Pennington County Veterans Court or Drug Court, contact Treatment Court Coordinator Ashlee May at 605-394-2595 ext. 1223 or ashlee.may@ujs.state.sd.us.
