Lawrence Leroy Piersol
How Judge Piersol decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Sitting in diversity he will not expand state tort law beyond what the South Dakota Supreme Court has actually held; arguments that the state court is 'poised' to follow a national trend (here, noneconomic damages in legal malpractice) are rejected as predictions a federal court should not make.
“The court has not adopted such a rule to date, and this Court will not presume the South Dakota Supreme Court will do so.”
Procedural preferences
He requires real, rule-compliant service: regular mail does not effect service, and a pro se plaintiff who is offered (and ignores) a Rule 4(d) waiver of service lacks 'good cause' for the failure -- so the case is dismissed rather than given a cure period, especially where jurisdiction is also absent.
“Plaintiff refused to take the path Rahn made available to him. Instead, Plaintiff relied on his wife's having used regular mail to send the complaint to Walters. ... this is insufficient under both the federal and pertinent state rules.”
Cautions
An unopposed summary-judgment motion is not automatically granted: even when the movant's facts are deemed admitted under LR 56.1.D, he independently confirms the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law before granting.
“That the Court adopts Ravnsborg's facts because Feickert did not dispute them does not necessarily allow the Court to summarily grant Ravnsborg's motion.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“That Ravnsborg's motion for summary judgment, Doc. 28, is granted.”
“Plaintiffs motion for default judgment against Defendant Walters (Doc. 19) is denied”
“Defendant Walters' motion to dismiss (Doc. 23) is granted.”
“Defendants' motion for partial summary judgment (Doc 30) is granted;”
“Plaintiffs motion for partial summary judgment (Doc. 37) is denied.”
“The Motion to Stay Will be denied as moot because the decision has been issued in Quick Bear Quiver.”
“5. That Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment, Doc. 36, is denied.”
“4. That Defendants' Motion to Amend Answer, Doc. 24, is granted.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment, Doc. 12, is granted.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (doc. 16) is denied.”
“that Petitioner's petition to vacate, set aside, or correct his sentence under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 2255 is hereby denied”
“Petitioner's Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 2254 (Doc. 1) is DENIED with prejudice”
“Defendant's Motion to Suppress Evidence, Doc. 101, is DENIED, and the Motion to Prohibit the Government from Introducing Documentary or Tangible Evidence with Regard to Certification or Qualifications of Drug Dog or Handler, Doc. 88, is DENIED.”
“IT IS ORDERED that Resolute Forest Products' motion to dismiss (Docket 7) is granted.”
“That Petitioner's Motion to Vacate, Set Aside or Correct Sentence pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Sec. 2255 (Doc. 1) is DENIED with prejudice.”
“That Governments' Motion to Dismiss (Doc. 21) is GRANTED.”
“Memorandum Opinion and Order denying 36 Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
Caseload sample skews to recent (2024-2025) filings and reflects current intake, not career-long mix. Many remain pending.
Put Judge Piersol's record to work
Ezel drafts and answers grounded in this exact profile: how Judge Piersol actually rules, not a generic AI guess.
Opens in Ezel Pro. Every answer is grounded in Judge Piersol's own signed orders and cites them.