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)
Filters
New Findings Highlight Lack of Diversity on State Supreme Courts
More data and further scholarship is needed to devise policies for promoting a state bench that adequately represents the varied background of the public.
State Court Oral Arguments to Watch for in May
Issues on the dockets include voting restrictions, gun regulations, and free speech rights.
Scholarship Roundup: End of Semester Edition
Recent articles address states taking policy questions away from courts, standing in election cases, and state shadow dockets.
Georgia Courts to Consider Legislative Oversight of Prosecutorial Discretion — Again
District attorneys in Georgia are challenging a statute that allows elected prosecutors to be disciplined and removed for their prosecutorial decisions and speech.
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.
How Dismissed Claims in Georgia Trump Case Could Be Resurrected
The conduct described in the indictment implicates several state constitutional provisions.
Unpacking the Legal Challenges to Trump’s Ballot Eligibility
The vast majority of cases aiming to remove Trump from the ballot have been dismissed, but without deciding whether he’s eligible to hold the presidency.
The Writ of Mandamus in State Courts
The centuries-old remedy is increasingly used to force hotly contested political issues before state courts.