HPS Law Firm Partner Pete Heidepriem was recently named General Counsel of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe. In that role, he will maintain a second office in Fort Thompson, South Dakota, and serve as the chief legal advisor to the Tribal Council and provide legal advice to all levels of the Tribal Government and members of the Tribe. Much of Pete’s legal career has been devoted to supporting Native people and Native Nations. He has tried cases as a prosecutor for the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and served as counsel to a tribal judge of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate. Before the U.S. Supreme Court, he fil ..read more

One dangerous driving behavior that frequently contributes to road accidents is tailgating. Oftentimes, drivers who tailgate may be experiencing frustration, impatience or even road rage. The desire to reach their destination quickly can lead to reckless driving behavior. Tailgating, which involves driving too closely to the vehicle in front of a particular motorist, poses significant risks to both the tailgater and the driver being tailgated. The dangers of tailgating One of the most apparent dangers of tailgating is that it significantly reduces the reaction time of a tailgater. When a drive ..read more

Whether you’ve got a new teen driver in your home or you simply share the road with teen motorists, it’s worth knowing about a couple of disturbing teen driving statistics associated with road safety in South Dakota. Teen drivers have a greater chance of being injured or killed in a car crash than drivers in older age groups no matter what state they live in. South Dakota, however, is one of the most dangerous states for teen drivers. Of course, crashes that injure or kill teens often involve passengers and other drivers of all ages. Some troubling numbers According to one survey, South Dakota ..read more

It is normal for people to have difficulty being logical after collision in part because of how the body responds to stressful situations. Therefore, those who get into a crash generally need to know how to protect themselves and the mistakes that others frequently make after a wreck if they don’t want to put themselves at a significant disadvantage by giving into their “fight, flight or freeze” instinct instead of following a few specific steps. Avoiding common mistakes after a car crash can go a long way toward protecting a crash victim who is not to blame (at least, not totally) for their w ..read more

Slip-and-falls are a leading cause of injury in people’s homes and in their workplaces. They are also one of the most common reasons that people file premises liability claims against a business. Stores and other businesses that open their facilities to the public profit when people come to visit. Of course, letting customers into a business generates numerous costs and obligations, not the least of which is having adequate staff on hand to tend to customers and maintain the facilities. In some cases, would-be customers at a store could end up severely injured because of a slip-and-fall incide ..read more

Car accidents can be highly stressful and challenging experiences, especially when it comes to determining liability and seeking compensation for damages. Understanding how liability works is crucial if you’ve been involved in a car accident.  Keep scrolling to delve into the intricacies of car accident liability in South Dakota; the following tips can help you navigate this often complex legal landscape. Understanding fault in South Dakota In South Dakota, car accident liability is primarily determined based on fault. This means that the party responsible for causing the accident is typi ..read more

In many car crash scenarios, it is quite obvious who is to blame for the wreck. Someone who didn’t stop at an intersection or didn’t check the lane next to them before merging may admit as much when they begin talking to the other driver. Other times, both motorists may try to lay the blame on one another or one driver may claim ignorance about what happened to cause the crash in hopes of avoiding personal responsibility. Someone who has been injured in a wreck or is worried about how to afford vehicle repairs will want the police report to accurately reflect that they were not at fault for th ..read more

Last week, a federal court of appeals unanimously ruled in favor of HPS Law Firm’s client in a civil rights case. The case involves a traffic stop on I-90 where our client asserted he was pulled over by a highway patrol trooper without probable cause. The federal trial court said the case needed to go to a jury trial on that issue. The trooper appealed, saying he was immune from the lawsuit. Partner Pete Heidepriem wrote the appeal briefs and argued the case to the federal appeals court. All judges on the court agreed with Pete and ruled that there must be a jury trial. At HPS ..read more

Here at HPS, we usually represent claimants, but on occasion we defend cases. Recently, our team successfully defended clients that were sued by plaintiffs in federal court. In the Fall of 2022, Vince Purtell and Steve Siegel, with the help from team members Sam Matson and Nicole Hallem, successfully defended our client against a $21 million wrongful death claim in the Northern Division of the United States District Court of South Dakota. The jury trial resulted from a collision involving a motorcycle and a pick-up truck. Vince and Steve argued that the motorcyclist was contributorily negligen ..read more

Offenses involving controlled substances are some of the most common crimes that are prosecuted in South Dakota. Both misuse of prescription substances and also possession of prohibited drugs can lead to criminal prosecution. Anyone who is involved in the distribution or manufacturing of such substances will also be at risk of prosecution, often for more severe charges that carry the risk of higher overall penalties. Many people who violate controlled substance laws are not hardened criminals motivated by financial gain but are rather individuals who are struggling with some kind of substance ..read more