Judicial Selection and Administration
How judges are selected and how the judiciary operates can impact the role and effectiveness of state courts. Processes for judicial selection may vary depending on both the level of court (trial, intermediate appellate, high court) and the type of vacancy being filled (interim vacancies or vacancies that open at the end of a judge’s term). The most common methods of state judicial selection are merit selection, which involves vetting of candidates by a nominating commission coupled with a retention election, nonpartisan elections, partisan elections, gubernatorial appointment, and legislative appointment. For a breakdown of each state’s judicial selection process, see this interactive map.
Judicial administration refers to the management of the court system, including judicial ethics, security systems, and access to court documents.
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Kansas Vote Could Lead to Wisconsin-Level Spending in Judicial Elections
Kansans will decide in August on an amendment that would change how judges are selected, a vote that could bring a surge of special interest spending and unwanted political pressure on judges.
The Arkansas Constitution: A Diamond in the Rough?
Its origins are tainted and its performance mixed, but the 1874 document allows Arkansans to intervene in governance.
The Wisconsin Constitution: Initial Adoption Fights and a Veto Power That’s Still Contested
The charter is a guide for safeguarding the state’s aim of self-determination.
Proposed Law Could Eliminate the Cap on Number of Judges in New York
The legislation would allow the public to vote on a state constitutional amendment removing limits on the number of judges serving each district. Such a change would alleviate delays and increase access to justice.
The Maine Constitution: Like the State’s Population, Stubbornly Itself
The pragmatic 1820 document is one of the oldest still in use.
The South Dakota Constitution: “Under God the People Rule” — But All the People?
A long history of Indigenous exclusion has undermined the state’s democratic ideals.
Why Territorial Courts Matter to American Law
The courts of five inhabited U.S. territories regularly confront constitutional questions in ways that are uniquely territorial while deeply connected to broader American constitutional debates.
The Delaware Constitution: The First of Firsts
Ironically, Delaware is last in allowing its citizens forms of direct democracy.