Question of the Month

Question of the Month - October 2003

	September 2003	August 2003
July 2003	June 2003	May 2003
April 2003	March 2003	February 2003
January 2003	November/December 2002	October 2002

Question: How do Southern states select supreme and appellate court judges, and how long are judges’ initial and subsequent terms in office.

Southern State Judicial Selection Methods and Lengths of Term: Appellate Courts 2003

State	Selection Process	Initial Term of Office (years)	Method of Retention; Term (years)
Alabama	Partisan election	Supreme Court: 6 Court of Appeals: 6	Supreme Court: Reelection; 6 Court of Appeals: Reelection; 6
Arkansas	Nonpartisan election	Supreme Court: 8 Court of Appeals: 8	Supreme Court: Reelection; 8 Court of Appeals: Reelection; 8
Florida	Merit selection through nominating commission	Supreme Court: 1 Court of Appeals: 1	Supreme Court: Retention election; 6 Court of Appeals: Retention election; 6
Georgia	Nonpartisan election	Supreme Court: 6 Court of Appeals: 6	Supreme Court: Reelection; 6 Court of Appeals: Reelection; 6
Kentucky	Nonpartisan election	Supreme Court: 8 Court of Appeals: 8	Supreme Court: Reelection; 8 Court of Appeals: Reelection; 8
Louisiana	Partisan election	Supreme Court: 10 Court of Appeals: 10	Supreme Court: Reelection; 10 Court of Appeals: Reelection; 10
Maryland	Merit selection through nominating commission	Courts of Appeals: Until first general election, following the expiration of 1 year from date of vacancy.	Court of Appeals: Retention election; 10 Court of Special Appeals: Retention election; 10
Mississippi	Nonpartisan election	Supreme Court: 8 Court of Appeals: 8	Supreme Court: Reelection; 8 Court of Appeals: Reelection; 8
Missouri	Merit selection through nominating commission	Supreme Court: 1 Court of Appeals: 1	Supreme Court: Retention election; 12 Court of Appeals: Retention election; 12
North Carolina	Nonpartisan election*	Supreme Court: 8 Court of Appeals: 8	Supreme Court: Reelection; 8 Court of Appeals: Reelection; 8
Oklahoma	Merit selection through nominating commission	Supreme Court: 1 Court of Appeals: 1	Supreme Court: Retention election; 6 Court of Appeals: Retention election; 6
South Carolina	Legislative appointment without nominating commission	Supreme Court: 10 Court of Appeals: 6	Supreme Court: Reappointment; 10 Court of Appeals: Reappointment; 6
Tennessee	Merit selection through nominating commission	Supreme Court and Court of Appeals: Until the next biennial general election	Supreme Court: Retention election; 9 Court of Appeals: Retention election; 9
Texas	Partisan election	Supreme Court: 6 Court of Appeals: 6	Supreme Court; Reelection; 6 Court of Appeals: Reelection; 6
Virginia	Legislative appointment without nominating commission	Supreme Court: 12 Court of Appeals: 8	Supreme Court: Reappointment; 12 Court of Appeals: Reappointment; 8
West Virginia	Partisan election	Supreme Court: 12 No other court of appeals	Supreme Court: Reelection; 12

Notes: *In 2004, North Carolina will begin selecting supreme and appellate court judges via nonpartisan election; 2002 marked the last year for partisan contests.

Source: Judicial Selection in the States: Appellate and General Jurisdiction Courts, American Judicature Society.