Lawrence L. Piersol

Lawrence Leroy Piersol
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota
Incumbent
Assumed office July 31, 2009
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota
In office 1999–2005
Preceded by	Richard Battey
Succeeded by	Karen Schreier
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota
In office November 22, 1993 – July 31, 2009
Appointed by	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Donald J. Porter
Succeeded by	Jeffrey L. Viken
Personal details
Born	Lawrence Leroy Piersol (1940-10-21) October 21, 1940 Vermillion, South Dakota
Political party	Democratic
Education	University of South Dakota (BA, JD)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1965-1968
Rank	Captain
Unit	J.A.G. Corps

Lawrence Leroy Piersol (born October 21, 1940) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota.

Early life and education

Born in Vermillion, South Dakota, Piersol received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Dakota in 1962 and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1965.

Career

Piersol attended The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School at the University of Virginia and entered Judge Advocate General's Corps, United States Army, where he served in from 1965 to 1968. He was in private practice in Sioux Falls, South Dakota from 1968 to 1993. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the South Dakota House of Representatives, serving as Minority Whip (1971 to 1972) and Majority Leader (1973 to 1974).

Federal judicial service

On August 6, 1993, Piersol was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota vacated by Donald J. Porter. Piersol was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 20, 1993, and received his commission on November 22, 1993. He served as chief judge from 1999 to 2005 and assumed senior status on July 31, 2009.

External links

• Lawrence L. Piersol at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.