Board recommends law license suspension for Jason Ravnsborg

June 30, 2023

PIERRE, S.D.–The disciplinary board of the South Dakota State Bar Association is asking the South Dakota Supreme Court to suspend the law license of former attorney general Jason Ravnsborg (pictured) for a period of 2 years.

Ravnsborg was impeached and removed from office last year for his role in the death of pedestrian Joseph Boever near Highmore.

The board issued the recommendation on May 19 of this year. The Board states that Ravnsborg violated professional conduct standards and eroded public confidence in the legal profession by his actions after the accident.

The board recommends a suspension of Ravnsborg’s law license for 26 months, and that suspension would be retroactive to June 21 of 2022, the date he was removed from office.

Ravnsborg formally denied the allegations in the recommendation on June 14 of this year, the issue now goes to a separate referee to take testimony and issue an additional findings of fact and conclusions of law along with a recommendation to the State Supreme Court which will make the final disciplinary decision.

Ravnsborg has not practiced law since his removal from office, but he did tell the disciplinary board that he intends to seek a position in an undetermined jurisdiction.