What does the South district docket plate read for FY2025?

South Dakota stamps BOOK-LIGHT · SENT-LONG · DISP-INLINE · WITHIN-MID · RANK-MID · PHOTO-NEAR · CIR-8TH at 82.6 mo (longer-third average (> 82 mo)) across 506 USSC cases, ranking #29/88 by average sentence.

How does South compare on mix-adjusted disparity?

Mix-adjusted disparity was +0.8% in FY2025 (DISP-INLINE) - 53% within guidelines, 39% below (rarer below-guideline share (≤ 47%)).

Where does South sit among USSC districts?

#30 of 93 by FY2025 caseload (middle-third caseload (≤ 506 cases)); #29 of 88 by average sentence (longer-third average (> 82 mo)).

Where does South sentencing data come from?

USSC Individual Offender Datafiles FY2015–FY2025. The docket plate uses the same FY2025 corpus ranks as /rankings/; see /methodology/#corpus-placement.

8th Circuit · South Dakota · FY2015–FY2025

South Dakota District

Name: Federal Sentencing Data - South Dakota District
Creator: PlainSentencing
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Average imposed sentence 82.6 mo in FY2025 - longer-third average (> 82 mo) among 88 districts (≥100 cases).

Compiled by PlainSentencing, Federal Sentencing Data Publishing · August 30, 2026

82.6
Avg months FY2025: well above the national average; 506
Federal cases: 53%
Within guidelines: typical guideline adherence; +0.8%
Disparity vs natl

RSS updates

The verdict

According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, South Dakota District ranks #30 of 93 by caseload (506 cases) and #29 of 88 districts with at least 100 cases by average sentence (82.6 months).

#30
Caseload of 93: #29
Avg sentence of 88: 82.6 months
This district avg FY2025: 506
This district cases FY2025

Caseload rank covers every district with at least one FY case. Average-sentence rank covers districts with at least 100 cases so a thin docket cannot top the list. Offense ranks cover the 30 published guideline types. Averages follow offense mix, not court character.

South USSC docket plate

BOOK-LIGHT Light book SENT-LONG 83 mo avg DISP-INLINE Mix-neutral WITHIN-MID 53% within RANK-MID #29/88 PHOTO-NEAR Near Middle CIR-8TH 8th

FY2025: 506 cases at 82.6 mo average · #29/88 harshest-rank · mix-adjusted +0.8% (DISP-INLINE). Nearest ABS peer: Middle (+0.2 mo).

Arizona

17.4
Southern · near

82.1
Western · near

82.2
South

82.6
Middle · near

82.8
Southern

129.3

For educational and research purposes only. This page summarizes historical USSC sentencing statistics, not a prediction for any individual case, sentencing depends on many case-specific factors. Consult a licensed criminal defense attorney for guidance on a specific matter.

Source: U.S. Sentencing Commission Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025. · Methodology and data dictionary.

South FY2024→FY2025: -8.4 mo avg

South Dakota: FY2025 average 82.6 mo (-8.4 vs FY2024); caseload -69. Chart = avg vs guideline midpoint.

Year	Cases	Avg (mo)	Within GL	Above GL	Below GL
FY2025	506	82.6	53%	8%	39%
FY2024	575	91.0	48%	4%	47%
FY2023	512	75.6	49%	4%	48%
FY2022	558	80.1	51%	5%	44%
FY2021	466	71.4	46%	3%	51%
FY2020	497	68.7	54%	4%	42%
FY2019	509	68.7	61%	4%	35%
FY2018	482	61.5	58%	6%	37%
FY2017	496	49.2	59%	8%	34%
FY2016	440	53.5	62%	4%	33%
FY2015	436	43.7	56%	5%	39%

Top Offenses (FY2025)

1

Drug Trafficking

116 cases · 153.2 mo avg

2

Firearms

84 cases · 41.1 mo avg

3

Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses

53 cases · 19.1 mo avg

4

Sexual Abuse

51 cases · 177.9 mo avg

5

Assault

46 cases · 48.9 mo avg

6

Immigration

41 cases · 3.1 mo avg

7

Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement

24 cases · 13.9 mo avg

8

Child Pornography

17 cases · 95.2 mo avg

9

Administration of Justice Offenses

17 cases · 19.7 mo avg

10

Manslaughter

15 cases · 88.3 mo avg

Sentencing Disparity

+0.8%

vs. national average (FY2025)

Drug Trafficking

116
Firearms

84
Obscenity/Other Sex

53
Sexual Abuse

51
Assault

46
Immigration

41
Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement

24
Child Pornography

17
Administration of

17
Manslaughter

15

What this shows Drug Trafficking was the most common offense in this district, accounting for 116 of the cases sentenced in FY2025.

Nationwide districts with similar caseload or average sentence

Two peer sets for South Dakota: FY2025 federal caseload volume and average imposed sentence, distinct from same-circuit neighbors.

Similar FY caseload

Nearest nationwide districts by ABS(506 cases here).

Northern Georgia · 502 cases · 11th Circuit
Oregon · 501 cases · 9th Circuit
Northern Alabama · 516 cases · 11th Circuit
Eastern Tennessee · 532 cases · 6th Circuit

Similar average sentence

Nearest nationwide districts by ABS(82.6 mo here; ≥100-case books).

Middle Pennsylvania · 82.8 mo avg · 408 cases
Western Kentucky · 82.2 mo avg · 388 cases
Southern Illinois · 82.1 mo avg · 240 cases
Alaska · 81.9 mo avg · 138 cases

Read with South

ABS(avg_sentence) peers first, then a stamp-branched guide - not a fixed three-guide strip. This sheet stamps BOOK-LIGHT · SENT-LONG · DISP-INLINE · WITHIN-MID · RANK-MID · PHOTO-NEAR · CIR-8TH.

Middle · 83 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 82.8 mo (Δ 0.2 mo harsher vs South); 408 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Western · 82 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 82.2 mo (Δ 0.4 mo lenient vs South); 388 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Southern · 82 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 82.1 mo (Δ 0.5 mo lenient vs South); 240 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Alaska · 82 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 81.9 mo (Δ 0.7 mo lenient vs South); 138 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Plea motion · 39% below GL

South stamps BOOK-LIGHT · SENT-LONG · DISP-INLINE · WITHIN-MID · RANK-MID · PHOTO-NEAR · CIR-8TH - the reading guide shows how to interpret USSC averages without conflating mix and severity.

Drug · lead offense

Drug Trafficking led South at 116 cases (23% of the FY2025 book) - offense-specific averages differ from the district headline.

All Districts District Rankings

Source: U.S. Sentencing Commission Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025.

Source: USSC public-use extracts rendered by PlainSentencing; methodology at /methodology/.