Chief Judge Selection Methods
State
Supreme Court
AK Peer vote
AL
Popular election
Duration
3 yrs
6 yrs
AR
AZ
Popular election
Peer vote
8 yrs
5 yrs
CA
Gubernatorial appointment,
confirmation by commission
on judicial appointments
Peer vote
Gubernatorial nomination
from judicial selection
commission
Gubernatorial appointment
from judicial nominating
commission with Senate
consent
Peer vote
Peer vote
Gubernatorial appointment
from nominating commission
with Senate confirmation
Peer vote
Peer vote
Peer vote
Judicial nominating
commission selects
Seniority
Peer vote
Seniority
12 yrs
CO
CT
DE
FL
GA
HI
IA
ID
IL
IN
KS
KY
LA
MA
Gubernatorial appointment
with governor’s council
approval
Indefinite
8 yrs
12 yrs
2 yrs
4 yrs
10 yrs
8 yrs
4 yrs
3 yrs
5 yrs
Indefinite
4 yrs
Duration
of service
To age 70
Court of Appeals
Chief Justice appoints
Criminal: peer vote, Civil:
seniority
Chief Justice appoints
Peer vote
Duration
2 yrs
Indefinite
District Court
Chief Justice appoints
Peer vote
Duration
1 yr
3 yrs
4 yrs
1 yr
Supreme Court appoints
Supreme Court appoints
Gubernatorial appointment,
confirmation by commission
on judicial appointments
Chief Justice appoints
Chief Justice appoints
12 years
Peer vote
No set term
Remainder of 4
yr term
1 or 2 yrs
Indefinite
Chief Justice appoints
Chief court administrator
appoints
Gubernatorial appointment
from judicial nominating
commission with Senate
consent
Peer vote
Peer vote
Gubernatorial appointment
from nominating commission
with Senate confirmation
Peer vote
Chief Justice appoints
Peer vote
Peer vote
12 yrs
2 yrs
2 yrs
10 yrs
Gubernatorial appointment
from judicial nominating
commission with Senate
consent
Peer vote
Varies by circuit
Chief Justice appoints
2 yrs
2 yrs
1 yr
3 yrs
Supreme Court appoints
Peer vote
Peer vote
Varies by circuit
2 yrs
3 yrs
Indefinite
Varies by circuit
Supreme Court appoints
Peer vote
Seniority
Indefinite
4 yrs
Duration of
service
To age 70
Supreme Court appoints
Peer vote
Peer vote
2 yrs
2 yrs
Varies by court
Chief Justice appoints
5 years
Gubernatorial appointment
from nominating commission
with governor’s council
approval
Indefinite
At pleasure of
chief court
administrator
12 yrs
2 yrs
Varies by circuit
Chief Justice
determines
MD
ME
Gubernatorial appointment
Gubernatorial appointment
Indefinite
7 years
Gubernatorial appointment
Indefinite
Seniority
Chief Justice appoints
MI
MN
MO
MS
Peer vote
Nonpartisan election
Rotation with peer vote
Seniority
Supreme Court appointment
Gubernatorial appointment
Rotation with peer vote
Chief Justice appoints
2 yrs
3 yrs
2 yrs
4 yrs
Supreme Court appoints
Peer vote
Peer vote
Seniority
MT
Nonpartisan election
2 yrs
6 yrs
2 yrs
Duration
of service
8 yrs
NC
ND
Nonpartisan election
Selected by judges of SC and
district courts
Gubernatorial appointment
from nominating commission
Gubernatorial nomination
from selection commission
recommendation;
appointment by executive
council
Gubernatorial Appointment
with Senate confirmation
Peer vote
8 yrs
5 yrs
Chief Justice appoints
Indefinite
Seniority
Peer vote
N/A
At pleasure of
Chief Justice
2 yrs
2 yrs
2 yrs
Duration of
service
Duration of
service/1 year
Indefinite
3 yrs
DoS
Peer vote with Supreme
Court approval
Gubernatorial nomination
from selection commission
recommendation;
appointment by executive
council
Chief Justice appoints
2 yrs
Peer vote
1 yr
Indefinite
Chief Justice appoints
Indefinite
Peer vote
2 yrs
Varies by district
NV
NY
Rotates by seniority
Gubernatorial appointment
from nominating commission
with Senate consent
2 yrs
14 yrs
Varies by
district
2 yrs
Gubernatorial appointment
from nominating commission
OH
OK
Popular election
Peer vote
6 yrs
2 yrs
Peer vote
Peer vote
OR
PA
Peer vote
Seniority
6 yrs
Duration
of term
Chief Justice appoints
Peer vote
Serves through
end of
Supreme Court
term
1 yr
2 yrs for
Criminal
Appeals, 1 yr
for Civil
Appeals
2 yrs
5 yrs
NE
NH
NJ
NM
5 yrs or to
age 70
Duration
of Service
2 yrs
Seniority/rotation
To age 70
Peer vote
Chief administrative judge
appoints
Peer vote
Peer vote
1 yr
1 yr
Chief Justice appoints
Seniority or peer vote
2 yrs
5 yrs
RI
SC
SD
TN
TX
UT
VA
VT
WA
WI
WV
WY
Gubernatorial appointment
from nominating commission
with House and Senate
confirmation
Legislative election
Peer vote
Life
Gubernatorial appointment
from nominating commission
with Senate confirmation
Life
Gubernatorial nomination
with Senate Judiciary
Committee confirmation
Life
10 yrs
4 yrs
Legislative election
6 yrs
Chief Justice appoints
Chief Justice appoints
Peer vote
Popular election
Peer vote
Peer vote
Gubernatorial appointment
from nominating commission
with Senate confirmation
Peer vote
Seniority
Peer vote
Peer vote
4 yrs
6 yrs
4 yrs
4 yrs
6 yrs
Peer vote
Popular election
Peer vote
Peer vote
Supreme Court appoints
1 yr
6 yrs
2 yrs
4 yrs
4 yrs
Peer vote
6 months
At pleasure of
Chief Justice
1 yr
Peer vote
Peer vote
Supreme Court appoints
2 yrs
2 yrs
4 yrs
4 yrs
Indefinite
1 yr
4 yrs
Peer vote
Supreme Court appoints
1 yr
3 yrs
Peer vote
Supreme Court appoints
Peer vote
At least 1 yr
2 yrs
Varies by circuit