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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The Sorry State of Disclosure for State Supreme Court Justices
A new study reveals that disclosures by state supreme court justices are frequently hard to access and lack relevant financial information.
What We’ll Be Watching in the 2024 Elections
Our new Election 2024 page that will collect stories that explain, contextualize, and track all the ways state courts and constitutions matter this election season.
The Politics of State Constitutionalism
Transcript of panel from Symposium: The Promise and Limits of State Constitutions
Interpretive Methods in State Constitutional Law
Transcript of panel from Symposium: The Promise and Limits of State Constitutions
Judicial Federalism and the Status of State Constitutions
Transcript of panel from Symposium: The Promise and Limits of State Constitutions
Post-Dobbs State Judicial Races Broke Spending Records
New analysis of 2022 elections shows state judicial elections saw almost double the amount of money than any other prior midterm cycle.
Bridging Gaps and Building Law Clerk Diversity in State Courts
CORA is a new resource that aims to boost access to state court clerkship opportunities.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Will Consider Voting Maps with All Justices Participating
Justice Janet Protasiewicz declined to recuse herself from a challenge to the state’s legislative maps, while Republican legislators may be stepping back from impeachment threats.