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
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.
What the SCOTUS Term Means for State Courts
Some of the Court’s most important holdings — including on abortion, gun restrictions, and presidential immunity — have implications for state courts and constitutions.
Iowa Supreme Court Allows Six-Week Abortion Ban to Take Effect
The court’s stance on reproductive health has shifted dramatically since 2018, when it held that abortion was a fundamental right under the state constitution.
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.
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.