Roger Leland Wollman

Roger Leland Wollman (born May 29, 1934) is a senior United States Circuit Judge and former Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He is the older brother of Harvey Wollman, former Governor of South Dakota.

Early life and education

Born in Frankfort, South Dakota, Roger's parents were Edwin J. Wollman (1907–1981) and Katherine (Kleinsasser) Wollman (1905–2002). His ancestors were ethnic Germans living in Russia and Wollman grew up Mennonite. Wollman received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tabor College in 1957. He was in the United States Army from 1957 to 1959. He then attended the University of South Dakota School of Law, graduating magna cum laude in 1962 with a Juris Doctor. In 1964, he received a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School.

Early career

Wollman began his career as a judicial law clerk to Judge George T. Mickelson of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota from 1962 to 1963. He was in private practice of law in Aberdeen, South Dakota, from 1964 to 1971, and served as a State's attorney of Brown County, South Dakota, (in Aberdeen) from 1967 to 1971. Wollman served for fifteen years on the Supreme Court of South Dakota, including as chief justice from 1978 to 1982. He assumed senior status on December 14, 2018, upon the confirmation of his successor and former clerk, Jonathan A. Kobes. Wollman assumed inactive senior status in September 2024.

Cases United States v. Neil Scott Kramer