Alaska
Alaska’s highest court is the Alaska Supreme Court. The court consists of five justices who select the chief justice for a three-year term by majority vote. The chief justice may not serve consecutive terms. (Source: Alaska Supreme Court)
Judicial Selection
The governor appoints Alaska Supreme Court justices from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. After at least three years on the bench, the justice may stand for a 10-year term in an unopposed yes/no retention vote in Alaska’s next general election. Justices may stand for additional terms through retention elections. The governor fills interim vacancies from a list provided by the judicial nominating commission. The mandatory retirement age is 70.
State Constitution
Alaska’s first and only constitution was adopted in 1956. As of January 1, 2024, it had 29 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
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State Court Oral Arguments to Watch for in April
Issues on the dockets include ranked-choice voting, de facto life sentences, so-called “shadow” foster care, and defamation against a drag performer.
The Tenacious Power of Constitutional Torts
Despite hurdles, civil rights litigation is a critical tool for people who have been harmed by the government and for those seeking long-lasting change.
Who’s Hiring State Supreme Court Clerks?
State-by-state information to aid law students and young attorneys in securing a state clerkship.
Religious Freedom and Abortion
Religious liberty protections have been steadily extended in both state and federal court over the last two decades. In some states, plaintiffs are arguing religious liberty includes a right to an abortion, with some success.
State Court Oral Arguments to Watch for in March
Issues on the dockets include mid-decade redistricting, ghost guns, a challenge to a DOJ request for voter data, gender-affirming care for minors, and SpaceX rocket launches.
State Law Gives Litigators Extra Tools to Counter Originalism
Unique features of state courts allow lawyers to go beyond arguments available in federal courts.
The Untold Story of 150 Years of Women in State Judiciaries
A focus on the U.S. Constitution and federal judges has obscured a longer and more complex history of women serving on state benches — and how state constitutions mattered in their rise.
How Courts Oversee Ballot Initiatives
State courts — and to some degree federal courts — play a significant role in every stage of the direct democracy process.