Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, 1983 - Bureau of Justice ...

--.-,- ~ .,--,____.__ ,~. _.r_Characteristics of the Criminal Justice SystemsSourcebook of Criminal Justice Staiistics 1983Table 1.33 Method of selection and length of initial and retention terms of the highest appellate court justices, by State,as of October 1980!'OTE: These data were complied through a survey of Statestatutes: they were then verified by personnel of the!>merican Judicature :)ociety In each State."Partisan electian" refers to elections in which thejudicial candidates' names appear on the ballot wi~h theirrespective party labels; "nonpartisan electien" refers to thesituation when no party labels are attached ~o Judicialcandidates' names an the ballot. 'Retention election" refersto an election in which a judge runs unopposed on the ballotand the electorate votes solely on the question of hiscontinuation in office. In the retention. election, the judgeStateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndic.naIowaMethod aInitial selectionPartisan electionNominating commissionNominating commissionPartisan electionAppointed Iiy governorNominating commissionAppointed by legislatureNominating commissionNominating commissionPartisan electionNominating commissionN:>npartisan electionPartisan electionNominating commissionI'bninating commission:UllIn6 yearsUntil next generai eiectionbut not less than 3 yearslkltil next general ell!!ctionbut not less than 2 years8 yearslkltil next general electionlkltil next general electionbut not less than 2 years8 years12 yearslkltil next general electioncut not less than I year6 years10 years6 years10 yearslkltil next general el ectionbut not less than 2 yearsUntil next general electionbut not less than I yearmust win a majority of the vote in order te serve a full termexcept in Illinois which requires 60 percent (Source, p. 6 andinformation provided by the authors). "Nominatingcommission" refers to the nonpartisan body, composed oflawyers and nonlawyers, which actively recruits, screens, andnominafes prospective judicial candidates to the executive forappointment. "Initial selection" is defined as theconstitutional or statutory method by which judges areselectecl for a full term of office. 'Retention" refers to themethod used to select judges for subsequent terms of office.MethodPartisan electionRetention electionRetention electionPartisan electionRetention electionRetention electionRetentionReappointment by legislatureReappointment by governorRetention electionPartisan electionReappointment by commissionj\bnpartisan electionRetention electionRetention electionRetention electionTerm(in years)6106812108126610610108Table 1.33 Method of selection and length of Initial and retention terms of the highest appellate court justices, by State,as of October 1980--ContinuedInitial selectionState Method a TermVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingAppointed by legislaturej\bnpartisan electionPartisan electionj\bnportlsan electionNominating corrrnissiona In States that use nominating commissions, the governorrnake~ the appointment.c The highest State court is named the Court of Appeals.The appointment requires the approval of the electedexecutive council.12 years6 years12 years10 yearslkltil next general electionbut not less than I yearMethodRetentionReappointment by legislaturej\bnpartisan electionPartisan electionj\bnpartlsan electionRetention electionterm(in years)dOklahama and Texas have twa courts of fi no Ijurisdiction: the sUpreme court, which has final civilJurisdiction; and the court of criminal appeals, which has finalcriminal jurisdiction.Source: Larry C. Berlmer icon Judicature Society, 1980), pp. 18-21. Reprinted by permission.12612108KansasNominating commissionKentucky j\bnpartisan electionLouisiana j\bnpartisan electionMaine b Appointed by governorMarylandI~inating corrrnissionlkltiJ next general electionbut not less than I year8 years10 years7 yearslJntil next general electionbut not less than I :tearRetention electionj\bnpartisan electionN:>nportisan electionReappointment by governorRetention election6810710MassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriNominating commissionj\bnpartisan electionj\bnpartisan electionPartisan electionI'bninating commissionLife ~enure8 years;; years8 yearslkltil next general electionbut not less than I yearXN:>npartisan electionj\bnpClrtisan electionPartisan electionRetention electionX86812I't\ontonaNebraskaj\bnportisan electionNominating commission8 yearsUntil next general electionbut not less than 3 yearsj\bnpartisan election, but ifunopposed, ,,'tention electionRetention el".clion86NevadaNew HampshireNew Jerseyj\bnpartisan electionAppointed by governor cAppointed by governor6 yearsLife tenure7 yearsj\bnpartisan electionXReappointment by governorLife6XtenureNew MexigoNew Yorkl-brth Carolinaj\brth DakotaOhioOklahoma dOregonPennsylVaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaPartisan electionNominating commissionPartisan electionj\bnpartisan electionj\bnpartisan electionNominating commissionj\bnpartisan electionPartisan electionAppointed by legislatureAppointed by legislature8 years14 years8 years10 years6 yearslkltil next general electionbut not less than I ~Aar6 years10 yearsLife tenure10 yearsPartisan electionReappointment by governorPartisan electionj\bnpartlsan electionN:>npartisan electionRetention electionN:>npartisan electionRetention electionXReappoin tment by legislature814810;;6610X10South DakotaTenneaseeTexasUtahVermontj\bnportisan electionPartisan electionPartisan electionj\bnpartisan electionNominating corrrnission8 years8 years6 years10 years6 yearsRetention electionPartisan electionPartisan electionj\bnpartisan election, but ifunopposed, retention electionAutomatic retention unlesslegislature votes toremove judge886106See footnotes at end of table.97