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
Behind the Movement Toward Humane Punishment
A recent Pennsylvania decision barring mandatory life without parole for felony murder is part of an accelerating trend toward broad state constitutional protections for people in the criminal justice system.
Barriers to Rights Protections and Collateral Consequences
Transcript of panel from Symposium: State Constitutions and the Limits of Criminal Punishments
Substantive Rights and Prison Conditions
Transcript of panel from Symposium: State Constitutions and the Limits of Criminal Punishments
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.
Who’s Hiring State Supreme Court Clerks?
State-by-state information to aid law students and young attorneys in securing a state clerkship.
Religious Freedom and Abortion
Religious liberty protections have been steadily extended in both state and federal court over the last two decades. In some states, plaintiffs are arguing religious liberty includes a right to an abortion, with some success.
State Constitutions Could Bar State and Local Police Collaboration with ICE
Case law in multiple states suggests state and local officials who cooperate in federal abuses might run afoul of their own state constitutions.