SDCL § 16-1-2.1: Election of Chief Justice--Term of office--Removal.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall be selected from among the justices of the Supreme Court by a majority vote of the justices for a term of four years without limitation in successive terms. The Chief Justice so selected may be removed by a four-fifths vote of the justices but such removal shall not thereby constitute his removal as a justice of the Supreme Court.