Georgia
Georgia’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Georgia. The court has eight associate justices and one chief justice. The supreme court justices select a chief justice for two, two-year terms by majority vote. (Source: Guide to Judicial Branch; Supreme Court of Georgia)
Judicial Selection
Justices on the Supreme Court of Georgia are selected through a nonpartisan election, where multiple candidates may vie for the seat. The elected justice serves a six-year term and may seek additional terms in a nonpartisan election. When a seat on the court opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor appoints a candidate to fill the vacancy. The governor receives a list of candidates from the judicial nominating commission but is not required to select a candidate from the list. The justice holds office until Georgia’s next general election more than six months after the appointment. The elected justice serves the remainder of the unexpired term. There are no term limits, nor is there a mandatory retirement age.
State Constitution
Georgia has had 10 constitutions adopted between 1777 and 1982. As of January 1, 2024, it had 87 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
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Back-to-School Scholarship Roundup: State Courts, Constitutional Law, and Federalism
Recent books and law review articles discuss voter disenfranchisement, separation of church and state, and much more.
What Happens if the U.S. Supreme Court Guts the Voting Rights Act?
State provisions could help fill a voting rights gap, but they are a poor substitute for a strong federal standard.
A New Tool Makes Comparing State Constitutions Easier
Scholars, practitioners, and judges can quickly see how constitutional provisions differ or overlap with a resource from the nonprofit American Juris Link.
Universal Injunctions in State Courts
Debates over whether a judge in a single county can issue a statewide injunction are brewing. States should not follow the U.S. Supreme Court’s approach.
States Grapple with the Death Penalty
More people have been executed in 2025 than in any year of the past decade. But some states are strengthening protections against the death penalty.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules 176-Year-Old Law Does Not Ban Abortion
State Republicans wanted to use the law to criminalize abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court held the federal Constitution does not protect the procedure.
The History of Same-Sex Marriage in the United States, and What Might Come Next
Until the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2015, the country was a patchwork of laws regarding who could marry.
Extreme Heat Exacerbates Dire Prison Conditions, With Few Paths to Relief
People behind bars are particularly vulnerable to harm during heat waves and climate-related disasters. Advocates should consider state constitutional solutions.