Idaho
Idaho’s highest court is the Idaho Supreme Court. The court has four justices and one chief justice, who is selected by a majority of the other justices to serve a four-year term. (Source: Idaho Constitution)
Judicial Selection
Justices are chosen for the Idaho Supreme Court 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 through nonpartisan elections. When a seat on the court opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor appoints a judicial candidate from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. The appoinnted justice holds office for the remainder of the unexpired term. There are no term limits, nor is there a mandatory retirement age.
State Constitution
Idaho’s first and only constitution was adopted in 1889. As of January 1, 2022, it had 127 amendments. (Source: Council of State Governments)
Filters
Judicial Deference to Agency Expertise in the States
Almost all state courts recognize the importance of agencies’ expertise in policymaking.
SCOTUS Allows Emergency Abortions in Idaho — For Now
Litigation over exceptions to abortion bans to preserve the life and health of pregnant people is also pending in multiple state courts.
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.
How Closely Should State Courts Scrutinize Laws that Restrict Voting?
The level of judicial review can be the decisive factor in whether a law burdening the right to vote is upheld.
Three U.S. Supreme Court Cases that Transformed State Judicial Elections
Judicial elections have become major political battlegrounds — complete with dark money, special interests, and attack ads — thanks to several U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
Every State Supreme Court Justice in One Searchable Database
A new resource from the State Law Research Initiative lets users sort the nation’s high court justices by state, professional background, party affiliation, and more.
Center For Reproductive Rights Litigation Director Discusses the High Stakes of Abortion Litigation
State Court Report spoke with counsel for the plaintiffs challenging Texas’s strict abortion ban — which the state supreme court just ruled was constitutional.
How Courts Oversee Ballot Initiatives
State courts — and to some degree federal courts — play a significant role in every stage of the direct democracy process.