Roger Tellinghuisen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Roger Alan Tellinghuisen | |
|---|---|
| 27th Attorney General of South Dakota | |
| In office January 6, 1987 – 1991 | |
| Governor | George S. Mickelson |
| Preceded by | Mark V. Meierhenry |
| Succeeded by | Mark Barnett |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 27, 1953 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Black Hills State University (BA) University of South Dakota (JD) |
Roger Alan Tellinghuisen (born March 27, 1953) is an American attorney, was the 27th Attorney General of South Dakota from 1987 to 1991.[1]
Roger Tellinghuisen graduated from Black Hills State University with a degree in Business Administration in 1975 and obtained his J.D. from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1978.
Early legal career
Following graduation from law school, Roger joined the firm of Amundson and Fuller in Lead, South Dakota where he was engaged in private practice. In 1981, he left private practice to join the Lawrence County States Attorney's Office where he prosecuted felony and misdemeanor cases. In 1982, Roger was appointed the first full-time states attorney for Lawrence County where he was the chief legal counsel and criminal lawyer for the county providing legal counsel to the Board of County Commissioners, Planning and Zoning Commission and the other county offices.
1986 Attorney General Election
In 1986, he was elected in a statewide election to the office of Attorney General of South Dakota, at only the age of 33.
Roger won the Republican nomination for Attorney General at the South Dakota Republican Convention on June 27–28, 1986. On June 26, 1986, State Representative Scott Heidepriem withdrew from the race.[2] On June 28, 1986, Meade County States Attorney Mike Jackley, who was a law school classmate of Roger's, withdrew before the voting commenced.[3][4][5]
Roger defeated Democrat and Lincoln County States Attorney Jeff Masten by a vote of 153,871 (53.53%) for Roger to 133,577 (46.47%) for Jeff.[6][7]
Attorney General of South Dakota
As the Attorney General, he was the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer for the State of South Dakota. His duties as Attorney General included providing legal counsel to the Governor, constitutional officers, and various boards and commissions. He was responsible for overseeing five legal divisions staffed by 23 attorneys.
South Dakota v. Dole
In 1984, the United States Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which withheld 10%[8] of federal highway funding from states that did not maintain a minimum legal drinking age of 21. South Dakota, which allowed 19-year-olds to purchase (raised from 18 years old as result of NMDAA) beer containing up to 3.2% alcohol, Tellinghuisen challenged the law on behalf of the state of South Dakota, naming Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole as the defendant. Tellinghuisen petitioned the United States Supreme Court, which granted certiorari. He argued in front of the United States Supreme Court, although unsuccessfully (7-2), that the law was unduly coercive upon the state.
Tellinghuisen is a member of the United States Supreme Court Bar (where he argued South Dakota v. Elizabeth Dole, 107 S. Ct. 2793 (1987), the United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, United States District Court and South Dakota Bar Association.
