California
California’s highest court is the Supreme Court of California. The court has six associate justices and one chief justice, who is appointed under the same procedures as the associate justices. (Source: California Judicial Branch)
Judicial Selection
The governor nominates candidates to the Supreme Court of California who must be confirmed by a majority of the commission on judicial appointments. The commission consists of the chief justice, the state attorney general, and the senior presiding justice of the state’s courts of appeal. Once confirmed, the nominee stands in an unopposed yes/no retention vote at the time of California’s next general election. Justices serve 12-year terms and may seek additional terms through an unopposed yes/no retention vote. There are no term limits, and there is no mandatory retirement age.
State Constitution
California has had two constitutions adopted in 1849 and 1879. As of January 1, 2024, it had 541 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
Filters
Will Courts Continue to Favor State Control Over Home Rule?
Constitutional amendments giving cities greater authority over local policy have repeatedly met resistance by state courts over the last century.
Fight Over Employment Status of Uber and Lyft Drivers Moves Through State Courts
Ridehail and delivery drivers are pushing for greater workplace protections in California and Massachusetts.
Kansas Supreme Court Reaffirms State Constitutional Right to Abortion
The court declined to overturn its recent holding that abortion is protected by the state constitution’s right to personal autonomy.
Where Abortion Rights Could Be on the Ballot in 2024
As many as 11 states could have abortion-related constitutional amendments on the ballot this year.
What the SCOTUS Term Means for State Courts
Some of the Court’s most important holdings — including on abortion, gun restrictions, and presidential immunity — have implications for state courts and constitutions.
Pennsylvania’s Indigent Defense Crisis Goes to Court
Pennsylvania is not the only state struggling to meet its constitutional obligations to provide representation to people who can’t afford it.
Judicial Deference to Agency Expertise in the States
Almost all state courts recognize the importance of agencies’ expertise in policymaking.
SCOTUS’s 2nd Amendment Decision Leaves Open Questions for State Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the disarmament of a domestic abuser in United States v. Rahimi, but litigation over where to draw the line will continue.