Oregon
Oregon’s highest court is the Oregon Supreme Court. The court has six justices and one chief justice, who is selected for a six-year term by the other members of the court. (Source: Oregon Judicial Branch)
Judicial Selection
Justices on the Oregon Supreme Court are selected to a six-year term through a nonpartisan election, where multiple candidates may vie for the seat. Justices may seek additional terms through participating in a nonpartisan election. To fill an interim vacancy, the governor appoints a candidate, who holds office until Oregon’s next general election that takes place more than 61 days after the appointment. The elected justice serves a six-year term. There are no term limits. The mandatory retirement age is 75.
State Constitution
Oregon’s first and only state constitution was adopted in 1857. As of January 1, 2024, it had 262 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
Filters
State Law Gives Litigators Extra Tools to Counter Originalism
Unique features of state courts allow lawyers to go beyond arguments available in federal courts.
The Untold Story of 150 Years of Women in State Judiciaries
A focus on the U.S. Constitution and federal judges has obscured a longer and more complex history of women serving on state benches — and how state constitutions mattered in their rise.
Proposed Ballot Measure Would Limit Montana Legislature from Burdening Direct Democracy
The proposed measure is in reaction to legislative efforts to make it more difficult for citizens to amend the state constitution.
What We're Watching in the 2026 Elections
State Court Report’s new Election 2026 hub provides coverage of major legal and judicial developments shaping this election cycle.
How Courts Oversee Ballot Initiatives
State courts — and to some degree federal courts — play a significant role in every stage of the direct democracy process.
New Year Scholarship Roundup: Federal-State Conflict, State Courts, and Election Administration
Several new articles explore state power in times of federal-state and interstate conflict.
Who’s Hiring State Supreme Court Clerks?
State-by-state information to aid law students and young attorneys in securing a state clerkship.
2026 Abortion-Related Ballot Measures
Ballot measures continue to be a tool in the fight over abortion rights, with some states attempting to expand rights and others looking to shore up restrictions.