Jeffrey L. Viken

Jeffrey Lynn Viken
Portrait of Jeffrey L. Viken
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota
Incumbent
Assumed office 2013
Preceded by	Karen Schreier
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota
Incumbent
Assumed office September 30, 2009
Appointed by	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Lawrence L. Piersol
Personal details
Born	Jeffrey Lynn Viken 1952 (age 64–65) Huron, South Dakota
Education	University of South Dakota B.A. University of South Dakota School of Law J.D.

Jeffrey Lynn Viken (born 1952) is the Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota. He has been the federal public defender for North Dakota and South Dakota.

Born in Huron, South Dakota, Viken earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Dakota in May 1974 and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Dakota School of Law in May 1977.

From 1977 until 1981, Viken served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota and in 1981 became the Acting United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota. From 1981 to 1982, Viken was a partner in the Rapid City, South Dakota law firm of Finch, Viken & Viken, and then from 1981 to 1992, Viken was a partner in the Rapid City firm of Finch, Viken, Viken & Pechota. From 1992 until 2003, Viken served as a partner in the Rapid City law firm of Viken, Viken, Pechota, Leach & Dewell, LLP.

In 2003, Viken was appointed federal public defender for the District of South Dakota by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. In 2005, the Eighth Circuit appointed Viken the federal public defender for the District of North Dakota as well to lead a combined-district organization for both North Dakota and South Dakota.

On June 25, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Viken to a vacant seat on the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota that was created when Judge Lawrence L. Piersol took senior status. The United States Senate confirmed Viken in a 99-0 vote on September 29, 2009. He received his commission the following day. He has served as Chief Judge since 2013.