Colorado

Colorado’s highest court is the Colorado Supreme Court. The court has six associate justices and one chief justice, who is selected by majority vote of the supreme court justices. (Source: Colorado Supreme Court; Colorado Constitution)

Judicial Selection

The governor appoints Colorado Supreme Court justices from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. After at least two years on the court, the justice stands in an unopposed yes/no retention vote in Colorado’s next general election. Justices serve 10-year terms and can stand for additional terms through retention elections. The governor fills interim vacancies from a list provided by the judicial nominating commission. The mandatory retirement age is 72. 

State Constitution

Colorado’s first and only constitution was adopted in 1876. As of January 1, 2026, it had 174 amendments. (Data on file with John Dinan, Wake Forest University.)