National

All 50 states have state court systems composed of trial and appellate courts. State judges are either elected in partisan or non-partisan elections or appointed by the governor or legislature, sometimes with the participation of a judicial nominating commission. In many states, appointed judges are subject to periodic up-or-down retention elections. Each state supreme court has between five and nine justices whose opinions on state constitutional law are final. In the vast majority of states, judges serve for fixed terms ranging from six to fourteen years. They can typically be either reappointed or stand for election for additional terms on the bench.