How are Texas judges selected?

Answer 1

The Justices of the Supreme Court are elected to staggered six-year terms in state-wide elections. When a vacancy arises the Governor may appoint a Justice, subject to Senate confirmation, to serve out the remainder of an unexpired term until the next general election. All members of the Court must be at least 35 years of age, a citizen of Texas, licensed to practice law in Texas, and must have practiced law (or have been a lawyer and a judge of a court of record together) for at least ten years (see Tex. Const., Art. 5, Sec. 2).

Answer 2

State judges are selected in 4 different ways. In states such as California, Maine, New Jersey, and Virginia state judges are appointed. In Alabama, Louisiana, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia state judges are selected through a partisan election. In Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin state judges are selected through nonpartisans elections. All other states select state judges through a merit selection.

Answer 3

• Five states use gubernatorial (Governor) appointment to fill vacancies.
• Seven states choose their Supreme Court justices in partisan elections. This includes nine courts, since Texas has two courts of last resort, one for civil and one for criminal matters, and the members of both of these courts are chosen in partisan elections.
• Sixteen states chose justices in non-partisan elections.
• Twenty-two states use a commission-selection, political appointment method of judicial selection, most hold a retention election at some point for their justices.

(Some states allow voters to elect their justices, and in some states the governor appoints the justices.)

To view a map of the state supreme court placement types, see Related Links, below.

Answer 4

They are chosen the same as they are in every state. They are elected to their position by the voters of the city or state.

Answer 5

It is done by people of counties voting for their county's own judge.

Answer 6

They are selected by a majority vote in partisan elections.