16-1-2.1. Election of Chief Justice--Term of office--Removal.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall be selected from among the justices of the Supreme Court by a majority vote of the justices for a term of four years without limitation in successive terms. The Chief Justice so selected may be removed by a four-fifths vote of the justices but such removal shall not thereby constitute his removal as a justice of the Supreme Court.
Source: SL 1973, ch 128, ยง1.
Structure South Dakota Codified Laws
Title 16 - Courts and Judiciary
Chapter 01 - The Supreme Court
Section 16-1-1 - Supreme Court districts.
Section 16-1-2 - Number of justices--Term of office--Retention elections.
Section 16-1-2.1 - Election of Chief Justice--Term of office--Removal.
Section 16-1-2.2 - Form of retention ballot.
Section 16-1-3.1 - Additional compensation of Chief Justice--Exclusion from retirement provisions.
Section 16-1-4.1 - Mandatory retirement of justices at age seventy--Conclusion of pending matters.
Section 16-1-9 - Term of Supreme Court--Places.
Section 16-1-14 - Supreme Court library--Publications included--Control by justices.