# Roberto A. Lange
Roberto 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.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) He was appointed by President Barack Obama and has served as the court's chief judge since 2020.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court | U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) |
| Appointed by | Barack Obama[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) |
| Confirmed | October 21, 2009 (Senate voted 100 to 0)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1110324) |
| Chief judge | 2020 to present[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) |
| Born | 1963, Pamplona, Spain[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) |
| Education | B.A., University of South Dakota, 1985; J.D., Northwestern University School of Law (now Pritzker School of Law), 1988[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) |
## Early life and education
Lange was born in 1963 in Pamplona, Spain.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) 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.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)
## Legal career
After 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).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) • [3](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-nominates-irene-berger-roberto-lange-serve-district-court-bench) 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.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) • [3](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-nominates-irene-berger-roberto-lange-serve-district-court-bench) 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.[4](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/RobertoLange-PublicQuestionnaire.pdf)
## Federal judicial service
President 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.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) • [3](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-nominates-irene-berger-roberto-lange-serve-district-court-bench) The American Bar Association gave Lange a unanimous well-qualified rating.[3](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-nominates-irene-berger-roberto-lange-serve-district-court-bench) The Senate confirmed him on October 21, 2009, by a vote of 100 to 0, and he received his commission the same day.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1110324) He began serving as the court's chief judge in 2020.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946) 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).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)
## References
1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Roberto Antonio Lange](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392946)
2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, October 21, 2009](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1110324)
3. [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)
4. [Senate Judiciary Committee Public Questionnaire: Roberto A. Lange](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/RobertoLange-PublicQuestionnaire.pdf)
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*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*
*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license