Missouri
Missouri’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Missouri. The court has six judges and one chief justice, who is selected for a two-year term by the other members of the court. (Source: Missouri Supreme Court Judges)
Judicial Selection
The governor appoints judges to the Supreme Court of Missouri from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. After at least one year on the court, the judge may stand for a 12-year term in an unopposed yes/no retention vote at the time of Missouri’s next general election. Judges may stand for additional terms in the same retention process. To fill an interim vacancy, the governor appoints a judge from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. There are no term limits. The mandatory retirement age is 70.
State Constitution
Missouri has had four state constitutions adopted between 1820 and 1945. As of January 1, 2026, it had 135 amendments. (Data on file with John Dinan, Wake Forest University.)
Filters
Religious Freedom Claims Could Provide New Path to Protect Abortion Rights
Challenges to abortion bans by religious plaintiffs have had mixed results.
Anti-Choice States Target Organizations Providing Information About Abortion
Attorneys general in Florida, Missouri, and South Dakota sued pro-choice organizations under state consumer deception and RICO laws.
Missouri High Court Decision Offers Lessons About Advancing Voting Rights
The court blocked restrictions on voter registration efforts as violating free speech rights.
State Court Oral Arguments to Watch for in May
Issues on the dockets include mid-decade redistricting, defendants’ access to social media evidence, and mandatory judicial retirement.
State Courts Offer Protection Against Pregnancy Discrimination
Courts in almost two dozen states have rejected the U.S. Supreme Court’s reasoning that discrimination based on pregnancy is not sex discrimination.
How Are State Judges Selected?
Thirty-eight states use elections as part of their system for choosing high court judges.
Closing Remarks
Transcript of panel from Symposium: State Constitutions and the Limits of Criminal Punishments
The Tenacious Power of Constitutional Torts
Despite hurdles, civil rights litigation is a critical tool for people who have been harmed by the government and for those seeking long-lasting change.