Virginia
Virginia’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Virginia. The court has six justices and one chief justice, who is chosen by a majority of the members of the court. (Source: Virginia Constitution)
Judicial Selection
The legislature votes to appoint justices to 12-year terms on the Supreme Court of Virginia. Justices may stand for reappointment by the legislature to additional terms in the same appointment process. When a seat opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the legislature votes to appoint a judicial candidate to fill the vacancy. The appointed justice serves a 12-year term. If the legislature is not in session, the governor may appoint a candidate to serve until the next legislative session. There are no term limits. The mandatory retirement age is 73.
State Constitution
Virginia has had six state constitutions adopted between 1776 and 1970. As of January 1, 2024, it had 53 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
Filters
Every State Supreme Court Justice in One Searchable Database
A new resource from the State Law Research Initiative lets users sort the nation’s high court justices by state, professional background, party affiliation, and more.
New Findings Highlight Lack of Diversity on State Supreme Courts
More data and further scholarship is needed to devise policies for promoting a state bench that adequately represents the varied background of the public.
States May Close the ‘Open Fields’ Exception to the Fourth Amendment
An appellate court in Tennessee became the latest to reject a significant exception to the federal protection against unreasonable search and seizure.
Scholarship Roundup: End of Semester Edition
Recent articles address states taking policy questions away from courts, standing in election cases, and state shadow dockets.
The Sorry State of Disclosure for State Supreme Court Justices
A new study reveals that disclosures by state supreme court justices are frequently hard to access and lack relevant financial information.
State Constitutions: A State Solicitor General’s Perspective
Transcript of panel from Symposium: The Promise and Limits of State Constitutions
Unpacking the Legal Challenges to Trump’s Ballot Eligibility
The vast majority of cases aiming to remove Trump from the ballot have been dismissed, but without deciding whether he’s eligible to hold the presidency.
Virginia Supreme Court Announces Expansive Interpretation of Religious Liberties Protection
The justices rejected the federal First Amendment standard but differed about what the standard should be and how to discern the original meaning of the state constitutional provision.