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State supreme courts
From Ballotpedia
Each state within the United States, plus the District of Columbia, has at least one supreme court, or court of last resort. Oklahoma and Texas both have two courts of last resort, one for civil appeals and one for criminal appeals.
The supreme courts do not hear trials of cases. They hear appeals of the decisions made in the lower trial or appellate courts.
The number of justices on each court varies between five and nine from state to state.
Courts
| Court | Number of justices | Method of selection | Term length |
| Alabama Supreme Court | 9 | Partisan elections | 6 years |
| Alaska Supreme Court | 5 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
10 years |
| Arizona Supreme Court | 7 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
6 years |
| Arkansas Supreme Court | 7 | Nonpartisan election | 8 years |
| California Supreme Court | 7 | Governor appoints | 12 years |
| Colorado Supreme Court | 7 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
10 years |
| Connecticut Supreme Court | 7 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
8 years |
| Delaware Supreme Court | 5 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
12 years |
| Florida Supreme Court | 7 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
6 years |
| Georgia Supreme Court | 9 | Nonpartisan election | 6 years |
| Hawaii Supreme Court | 5 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
10 years |
| Idaho Supreme Court | 5 | Nonpartisan election | 6 years |
| Illinois Supreme Court | 7 | Partisan election | 10 years |
| Indiana Supreme Court | 5 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
10 years |
| Iowa Supreme Court | 7 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
8 years |
| Kansas Supreme Court | 7 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
6 years |
| Kentucky Supreme Court | 7 | Nonpartisan election | 8 years |
| Louisiana Supreme Court | 7 | Partisan election | 10 years |
| Maine Supreme Judicial Court | 7 | Governor appoints | 7 years |
| Maryland Supreme Court | 7 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
10 years |
| Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court | 7 | Governor appoints | Until 70 years of age |
| Michigan Supreme Court | 7 | Michigan method | 8 years |
| Minnesota Supreme Court | 7 | Nonpartisan election | 6 years |
| Mississippi Supreme Court | 9 | Nonpartisan election | 8 years |
| Missouri Supreme Court | 7 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
12 years |
| Montana Supreme Court | 7 | Nonpartisan election | 8 years |
| Nebraska Supreme Court | 7 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
6 years |
| Nevada Supreme Court | 7 | Nonpartisan election | 6 years |
| New Hampshire Supreme Court | 5 | Governor appoints | Until retirement or the age of 70 |
| New Jersey Supreme Court | 7 | Governor appoints | 7 years; until age 70 |
| New Mexico Supreme Court | 5 | Partisan elections | 8 years |
| State of New York Court of Appeals | 7 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
14 years |
| Supreme Court of North Carolina | 7 | Partisan election | 8 years |
| North Dakota Supreme Court | 5 | Nonpartisan election | 10 years |
| Ohio Supreme Court | 7 | Partisan elections | 6 years |
| Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals | 5 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
6 years |
| Oklahoma Supreme Court | 9 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
Initial term 1 year; if retained, 6 years |
| Oregon Supreme Court | 7 | Nonpartisan election | 6 years |
| Pennsylvania Supreme Court | 7 | Partisan election | 10 years |
| Rhode Island Supreme Court | 5 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
Life terms; no mandated retirement |
| South Carolina Supreme Court | 5 | Legislative election of judges | 10 years |
| South Dakota Supreme Court | 5 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
8 years |
| Tennessee Supreme Court | 5 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
8 years |
| Texas Court of Criminal Appeals | 9 | Partisan election | 6 years |
| Texas Supreme Court | 9 | Partisan election | 6 years |
| Utah Supreme Court | 5 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
10 years |
| Vermont Supreme Court | 5 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
6 years |
| Supreme Court of Virginia | 7 | Legislative election of judges | 12 years |
| Washington State Supreme Court | 9 | Nonpartisan election | 6 years |
| Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia | 5 | Nonpartisan election | 12 years |
| Wisconsin Supreme Court | 7 | Nonpartisan election | 10 years |
| Wyoming Supreme Court | 5 | Governor appoints through nominating commission |
8 years |
| Total number of state supreme court justices | 344 |
Chief justices
Click here for the current list of chief justices.
Maps
Term lengths
Number of justices
Method of selection
The map below highlights selection methods in state supreme courts across the country.
Filling vacancies
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
- Female chief justices of state supreme courts
- First black judges on the state supreme courts
- Historical caseloads data of the state supreme courts
- State Supreme Courts Caseload Report, 2013
- State supreme court opinions
Footnotes
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