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 "excerpt": "Roberto A. Lange, born Roberto Antonio Lange in 1963, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in South Dakota since 2009, appointed by President Barack Obama.",
 "snippet": "Roberto A. Lange, born Roberto Antonio Lange in 1963, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in South Dakota since 2009, appointed by President Barack Obama.",
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 "markdown": "# Roberto A. Lange\n\nRoberto Antonio Lange (born 1963) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota since 2009.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup> He was appointed by President Barack Obama and has served as the court's chief judge since 2020.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | October 21, 2009 (Senate voted 100 to 0)<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1110324)</sup> |\n| Chief judge | 2020 to present<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup> |\n| Born | 1963, Pamplona, Spain<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup> |\n| Education | B.A., University of South Dakota, 1985; J.D., Northwestern University School of Law (now Pritzker School of Law), 1988<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nLange was born in 1963 in Pamplona, Spain.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup> He earned a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) from the University of South Dakota in 1985 and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from Northwestern University School of Law, now the Pritzker School of Law, in 1988.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Lange served as a law clerk to Judge Donald J. Porter of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota from 1988 to 1989, working in [Pierre, South Dakota](https://www.edgepedia.org/pierre-south-dakota).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-nominates-irene-berger-roberto-lange-serve-district-court-bench)</sup> He then entered private practice in [Sioux Falls, South Dakota](https://www.edgepedia.org/sioux-falls-south-dakota), where he was a partner at the firm Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP, from 1989 until his appointment to the bench in 2009.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-nominates-irene-berger-roberto-lange-serve-district-court-bench)</sup> In a 2009 Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire, Lange disclosed that his father, Gerald F. Lange, was then a representative in the South Dakota House of Representatives.<sup>[4](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/RobertoLange-PublicQuestionnaire.pdf)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident Obama nominated Lange to the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota on July 8, 2009, announcing the nomination alongside that of [Irene Berger](https://www.edgepedia.org/irene-c-berger) for the Southern District of West Virginia.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-nominates-irene-berger-roberto-lange-serve-district-court-bench)</sup> The American Bar Association gave Lange a unanimous well-qualified rating.<sup>[3](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-nominates-irene-berger-roberto-lange-serve-district-court-bench)</sup> The Senate confirmed him on October 21, 2009, by a vote of 100 to 0, and he received his commission the same day.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1110324)</sup> He began serving as the court's chief judge in 2020.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup> Since 2024, Lange has been a member of the [Judicial Conference of the United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/judicial-conference-of-the-united-states).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Roberto Antonio Lange](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, October 21, 2009](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1110324)\n3. [President Obama Nominates Irene Berger, Roberto Lange to Serve on the District Court Bench](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-nominates-irene-berger-roberto-lange-serve-district-court-bench)\n4. [Senate Judiciary Committee Public Questionnaire: Roberto A. Lange](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/RobertoLange-PublicQuestionnaire.pdf)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames L to Ma*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
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 "credit": "\"Roberto A. Lange\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/roberto-a-lange. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
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 "speakable": "Roberto A. Lange, born Roberto Antonio Lange in 1963, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in South Dakota since 2009, appointed by President Barack Obama."
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