Alabama
Alabama’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Alabama. The court has eight associate justices and one chief justice. Justices serve six-year terms and are selected by popular vote. (Source: Alabama Supreme Court;Alabama Constitution)
Judicial Selection
Justices on the Supreme Court of Alabama are elected to six-year terms through partisan elections, and they may seek additional terms through partisan elections. There is no limit on the number of terms a justice may serve. The governor fills interim vacancies when a seat opens before the end of a term. The appointed justice holds office until Alabama’s next general election more than two years after they were appointed. Justices may not be appointed or elected after age 70.
State Constitution
Alabama has had six constitutions adopted between 1819 and 1901. As of January 1, 2022, it had 977 amendments. (Source: Council of State Governments)
Filters
Kansas Online Court System Faces Long Recovery Time After Cyberattack
The outage underscores the hurdles the public faces accessing court information across the country.
Constitutional Amendment Processes in the 50 States
States offer multiple paths for amending their constitutions, which are much easier to change than the federal Constitution.
Challenging Anti-Trans Legislation Under State Constitutions
Though advocates have found early success in federal courts, they may find even more effective ways to protect LGBTQ+ rights through state courts.
New Data Shows Lack of Diversity on Many State Supreme Courts
State court benches continue to fall short of representing the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the communities they serve.
The Racist History of State Constitutions Taking Voting Rights from People Convicted of Crimes
Two court decisions raise questions about whether modifying discriminatory provisions can wash away their dubious histories.
Get to Know Your State's 'Baby Ninth Amendment'
State constitutions offer protections for unenumerated rights, but courts rarely act on those provisions.
Voters Amend State Constitutions to Enshrine New Rights
From abortion to voting rights, amendments creating new state constitutional rights were approved at the ballot box.
Scholarship Roundup: Lessons for Evaluating State Constitutional History
Recent scholarship raises important questions about how state high courts should use the history of their state’s constitution, particularly when information is lost or unreliable.