Judicial Selection in the States
TOPEKA, Kan. -- A plan to change how Kansas fills vacancies on its two highest courts foundered Tuesday when the Kansas Bar Association's board decided...
Chief justice denounces pay-to-play reform measure
Kansas :: May 14, 2013 :: The Topeka Capital Journal
The Kansas Supreme Court's chief justice sent a letter to the state's judges Tuesday condemning as distasteful and unacceptable an influential senator's attempt to make...
TOPEKA Legislators who believe the Kansas Senate should have the power to confirm appellate court judges, including Supreme Court justices, have a new plan that...
In recent years, proposals have been introduced by legislators, governors, courts, and citizens' groups in nearly every state to limit the role of politics in the selection of state judges.
The extent of these activities underscores the recognition that an independent judiciary is essential to the maintenance of public trust and confidence in the court system.
The American Judicature Society, through funding from the Open Society Institute, has contributed to these efforts by compiling comprehensive information on judicial selection processes in each of the fifty states and the District of Columbia. Topics covered include methods of selecting, retaining, and removing of judges; successful and unsuccessful reform efforts; the roles of parties, interest groups, and professional organizations in selecting judges; and the diversity of the bench.
- To view state-specific information, select a state from the drop-down menu in the upper right or from the map below.
- To view practices among states, select a topic on the left.