Summary Information on State Supreme Courts

State	Justices	Accession to Court	Term of Judges	Term of Chief Justice	Subsequent Terms	Method of Retention	When Retention Election Occurs	Method of Filling Interim Vacancies
AK	5	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Min of 3 years	3 years	10 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 3 years in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
AL	9	Partisan election	6 years	6 years	6 years	Reelection	Next general election after 1 year in office	Gubernatorial appointment
AR	7	Nonpartisan election	8 years	8 years	8 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial Appointment
AZ	5	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Min of 2 years	5 years	6 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 2 years in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
CA	7	Gubernatorial appointment subject to approval of commission on judicial appointment, confirmed by public at next general election	Until next gubernatorial election	12 years	12 years	Retention vote	Next gubernatorial election	Gubernatorial appointment subject to approval of commission on judicial appointments
CO	7	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Min of 2 years	Indefinite	10 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 2 years in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
CT	7	Gubernatorial appointment via judicial selection committee; legislative appointment	8 years	8 years; associate justices appointed to chief justice serve an initial term equal to the remainder of their term as associate justice	8 years	Gubernatorial re-nomination; legislative reappointment	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment via judicial selection committee; legislative appointment
DE	5	Gubernatorial appointment via judicial nominating commission with senatorial consent	12 years	12 years	12 years	Gubernatorial re-appointment via judicial nominating commission with senatorial consent	N/A	Gubernatorial re-appointment via judicial nominating commission with senatorial consent
FL	7	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Min of 1 year	2 years	6 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 1 year in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
GA	7	Nonpartisan election	6 years	2 years	6 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
HI	5	Gubernatorial appointment via judicial nominating commission with senatorial consent	10 years	10 years	10 years	Nominating committee retains	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment via judicial nominating commission with senatorial consent
IA	7	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Min of 1 year	8 years	8 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 1 year in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
ID	5	Nonpartisan election	6 years	4 years	6 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
IL	7	Partisan election	10 years	3 years	10	Retention vote	Next general election more than 60 days after appointment	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
IN	5	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Min of 2 years	5 years	10 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 2 years in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
KS	7	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	1 year	Indefinite	6 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 1 year in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
KY	7	Nonpartisan election	8 years	4 years	8 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
LA	7	Partisan election	10 years	Duration of service	10 years	Reelection	N/A	Special election held by governor, interims filled by Supreme Court appointment
MA	7	Gubernatorial appointment from nominating committee with approval of governor's council	To age 70	To age 70	N/A	N/A	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment from nominating committee with approval of governor's council
MD	7	Gubernatorial appointment via judicial nominating commission with senatorial confirmation	Min of 1 year	Indefinite	10 years	Retention vote	First general election at least 1 year after vacancy	Gubernatorial appointment via judicial nominating commission with senatorial confirmation
ME	7	Gubernatorial appointment with Senate confirmation	7 years	7 years	7 years	Gubernatorial reappointment with Senate confirmation	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment with Senate confirmation
MI	7	Partisan nomination/Nonpartisan election	8 years	2 years	8 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment subject to approval via standing committee
MN	7	Nonpartisan election	6 years	6 years	6 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment
MO	7	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Min of 1 year	2 years	12 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 1 year in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
MS	9	Nonpartisan election	8 years	Duration of service	8 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment
MT	7	Nonpartisan election	8 years	8 years	8 years	Nonpartisan election	Next general election; hold office for remainder of unexpired term	Gubernatorial appointment via judicial nominating commission with senatorial consent
NC	7	Nonpartisan election	8 years	8 years	8 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment
ND	5	Nonpartisan election	10 years	5 years	10 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
NE	7	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Min of 3 years	Duration of service	6 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 3 years in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
NH	5	Gubernatorial nomination; executive council appointment	To age 70	5 years or to age 70 (whichever comes first)	N/A	N/A	N/A	Gubernatorial nomination; executive council appointment
NJ	7	Gubernatorial appointment with Senate confirmation	7 years	Duration of service	To age 70	Gubernatorial reappointment with Senate confirmation	N/A	Gubernatorial reappointment with Senate confirmation
NM	5	Partisan election	Remainder of unexpired term	2 years	8 years	Retention vote	Next general election	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
NV	7	Nonpartisan election	6 years	2 years	6 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
NY	7	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee and senate confirmation	14 years	14 years	14 years	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee with Senate consent	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment via judicial nominating commission with senatorial consent
OH	7	Nonpartisan election	6 years	6 years	6 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment
OK	9	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Min of 1 year	2 years	6 years	Retention vote	Next general election	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
OR	7	Nonpartisan election	6 years	6 years	6 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment
PA	7	Partisan election	10 years	Duration of service	10 years	Retention vote	Next municipal election at least 10 months after vacancy or upon expiration of term, non-partisan	Gubernatorial appointment with 2/3 Senate approval
RI	5	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee and House/Senate confirmation	Life	Life	N/A	N/A	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee and House/Senate confirmation
SC	5	Legislative election	10 years	10 years	10 years	Reelection by legislature	Upon completion of unexpired term	Legislative election
SD	5	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Min of 3 years	4 years	8 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 3 years in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
TN	5	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Until next general election	4 years	8 years	Retention vote	Next general election	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
TX	9	Partisan election	6 years	6 years	6 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment with Senate approval
UT	5	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee and Senate confirmation	Min of 3 years	4 years	10 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 3 years in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee and Senate confirmation
VA	7	Legislative election	12 years	4 years	12 years	Reelection by legislature	N/A	Legislative election
VT	5	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee and Senate confirmation	6 years	6 years	6 years	Vote of general assembly	Upon expiration of unexpired term	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee and Senate confirmation
WA	9	Nonpartisan election	6 years	4 years	6 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment
WI	7	Nonpartisan election	10 years	Indefinite	10 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee
WV	5	Partisan election	12 years	1 year	12 years	Reelection	N/A	Gubernatorial appointment via judicial advisory committee
WY	5	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee	Min of 1 year	4 years	8 years	Retention vote	Next general election after 1 year in office	Gubernatorial appointment via nominating committee

Defending Life 2008
Table of Contents

Summary Information on State Supreme Courts

Americans United for Life

AUL Action

Defending Life 2009

Fight FOCA

Other

Defending Life 2008 Table of Contents

Summary Information on State Supreme Courts

Americans United for Life

AUL Action

Defending Life 2009

Fight FOCA

Other

Defending Life 2008
Table of Contents