Mississippi
Mississippi’s highest court is the Mississippi Supreme Court. The court has six associate justices, two presiding justices, and one chief justice. The chief justice is selected by seniority. (Source: Mississippi Bar Association)
Judicial Selection
Mississippi Supreme Court justices are selected for an eight-year term through a nonpartisan election, where multiple candidates may vie for the seat. Justices may seek additional terms through nonpartisan elections. When a seat opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor appoints a candidate to fill the vacancy. If less than half of the vacated term remains, the appointed justice serves the remainder of the unexpired term. If more than half of the term remains, the appointed justice holds office until Mississippi’s next general election more than nine months after the vacancy occurred. The elected justice serves the remainder of the unexpired term. There are no term limits, nor is there a mandatory retirement age.
State Constitution
Mississippi has had four state constitutions adopted between 1817 and 1890. As of January 1, 2024, it had 127 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
Filters
Federal Workers Have Scant Job Protection in the Constitution
In contrast, some state constitutions protect explicitly both the civil service and public employee unions.
Book Excerpt: “Personhood: The New Civil War over Reproduction,” by Mary Ziegler
The fetal personhood movement already succeeded in eliminating what many viewed as a fundamental right. Its continued effects could be even further-reaching.
Lawsuits Allege Unlawful Surveillance of Pregnant Patients
According to the allegations, hospitals and state agencies in New Jersey and Vermont violated rights to privacy and bodily autonomy by drug testing and monitoring pregnant people.
The Right to Petition in State Constitutions, Explained
Some states protect citizens’ right to make requests of or complaints against the government more broadly than the federal Constitution.
The Active Environmental Agendas of State Attorneys General
The U.S. Supreme Court this week paved the way for Democratic attorneys general to proceed with suits against fossil fuel companies under state law.
New State Hurdles to Standing Threaten Abortion Ban Challenges
Georgia’s Supreme Court sent a challenge to the state’s abortion ban back to the trial court to consider if the plaintiffs, including medical providers, had standing to bring the suit.
Executive Orders and Threatened Cuts Challenge Public Education and the Courts
Education rights expert Joshua Weishart discusses the effects of Trump’s education policy changes and how states are pushing back.
State Constitutional Resources We Love
For those who want to know more about state constitutions, a compilation of tools including case databases, interactive maps, and more.