Kansas
Kansas’ highest court is the Kansas Supreme Court. The court has six justices and one chief justice, who is the member of the court with the most seniority. (Source: Kansas Supreme Court)
Judicial Selection
The governor appoints Kansas Supreme Court justices from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. After at least one year on the court, the justice may stand for a six-year term in an unopposed yes/no retention vote in Kansas’s next general election. Justices may stand for additional terms in the same retention process. The governor fills an interim vacancy by appointing a candidate from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. There are no term limits, however, a justice may not be appointed or reelected after age 75.
State Constitution
Kansas’s first and only constitution was adopted in 1859. As of January 1, 2024, it had 100 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
Filters
Where Abortion Rights Could Be on the Ballot in 2024
As many as 14 states could have abortion-related constitutional amendments on the ballot this year.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s History of Adopting State Supreme Court Guidance
Both historical and recent decisions show the Court’s willingness to apply state supreme courts’ reasoning to interpret the Constitution.
State Constitutional Obligations: Access to Courts, Remedies, and Rights in Civil and Criminal Cases
Transcript of panel from Symposium: The Promise and Limits of State Constitutions
How Closely Should State Courts Scrutinize Laws that Restrict Voting?
Cases pending in Kansas and Idaho will impact how easy it is for those states to implement laws burdening the right to vote.
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.
Massachusetts Looks to International Sources to Inform ‘Evolving Standards of Decency’
A Conversation About Abortion Rights and the Future of State Constitutions
A retired state supreme court justice, a reproductive rights scholar, and the director of the Brennan Center’s Judiciary Program discuss the role of state courts after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that there is no federal constitutional right to abortion.
Knife Laws on the Chopping Block