Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. The court has six justices and one chief justice, who is the longest-serving member of the court. (Source: Pennsylvania Constitution)
Judicial Selection
Justices on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania are selected to a 10-year term through a partisan election, where multiple candidates may vie for the seat. Justices may seek additional 10-year terms through standing in an unopposed yes/no retention vote. When a seat opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor appoints a candidate to fill the vacancy. The governor’s selection must be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the state senate. The appointed justice holds office until the next municipal election more than 10 months after the vacancy opened, unless the remainder of the seat’s term runs out before then. The elected justice serves a 10-year term. There are no term limits. The mandatory retirement age is 75.
State Constitution
Pennsylvania has had five state constitutions adopted between 1776 and 1968. As of January 1, 2024, it had 36 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
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Back-to-School Scholarship Roundup: State Courts, Constitutional Law, and Federalism
Recent books and law review articles discuss voter disenfranchisement, separation of church and state, and much more.
What Happens if the U.S. Supreme Court Guts the Voting Rights Act?
State provisions could help fill a voting rights gap, but they are a poor substitute for a strong federal standard.
New Jersey’s Constitution Allowed Women to Vote in the 1700s
Though the right was short-lived, it’s an example of how states can expand — and contract — voting rights.
Recent State Judicial Opinions Critique Lockstepping
Justices in Connecticut, Texas, and Pennsylvania have called on their courts to embrace independent state constitutional interpretations.
A New Tool Makes Comparing State Constitutions Easier
Scholars, practitioners, and judges can quickly see how constitutional provisions differ or overlap with a resource from the nonprofit American Juris Link.
Battles over Medicaid Funding for Abortion
Congress prohibited Medicaid reimbursement for abortion, but some state supreme courts say similar state-level bans violate their constitutions.
Universal Injunctions in State Courts
Debates over whether a judge in a single county can issue a statewide injunction are brewing. States should not follow the U.S. Supreme Court’s approach.
How Courts and Litigators Can Help Redefine “Cruel” and “Unusual” Punishments
A new law review article offers guidance for state appellate judges interpreting their Eighth Amendment cognates for the first time.