Parts One, Two, Three and Four
Now we'll move on to the State Supreme Courts, which I'll split into two parts. Things get a little different here.
Well, I researched all 50 of the states' Supreme Courts (you're welcome), and these are the different ways I've found that state Supreme Court justices get chosen, in color-coded map form.
Orange: Non-partisan elections (17 states)
Term lengths vary. Now what do those blue squares on Ohio and Michigan mean? You'll see.
Purple: The "Missouri Plan" (13 states)
When there is a judicial vacancy, an independent, non-partisan commission reviews candidates and presents a list to the Governor. The Governor has 60 days to decide, and if s/he doesn't, the commission decides. After one year of service, the justice must face a retention election. If s/he survives the retention election, s/he is elected to a full term, the length of which varies.
Green: Gubernatorial appointment with legislative confirmation (10 states)
Legislative bodies in question vary. Term length varies.
Blue: Partisan elections (6 states)
Term length vary
Pink: Elected by the legislature (2 states)
Term lengths vary.
Black: California
I'll explain this below.
Alabama
Selection method: Statewide partisan election
Term length: 6 years
Mandatory retirement: Age 70
Size: Nine
Chief Justice: Roy "Ten Commandments" Moore (R)
Associate justices:
8 Republicans
Meeting place: Alabama Judicial Building, Montgomery
Alaska
Selection method: Missouri Plan
Term length: 10 years
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Five
Chief Justice: Dana Fabe (Knowles)
Governors appointing:
2 Knowles (D)
1 Palin (R)
2 Parnell (R)
Meeting place: Varies, prefers to meet in judicial district where case originated.
Arizona
Selection method: Missouri Plan
Term length: 6 years
Mandatory retirement: 70
Size: Five (one currently vacant)
Chief Justice: Rebecca White Berch
Governors appointing:
1 Hull (R)
1 Napolitano (D)
2 Brewer (R)
Meeting place: Supreme Court Building, Phoenix
Arkansas
Selection method: Statewide non-partisan election
Term length: 8 years
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Jim Hannah
Meeting place: Arkansas Justice Building, Little Rock
California
Selection method: This is one of the three special cases I mentioned above. As far as I can tell, California's Governor can appoint anyone s/he wants as long as the appointee had either been practicing law or sitting on a court for 10 years prior. No commission or confirmation needed.
Term length: 12 years (retention election after appointment)
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Tanil Cantil-Sakauye (Schwarzeneggar)
Governors appointing:
2 Deukmejian (R)
2 Pete Wilson (R)
2 Schwarzeneggar (R)
1 Brown (D)
Meeting places: Earl Warren Building and Courthouse, San Francisco
Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building, Sacramento
Ronald Reagan State Building, Los Angeles
Colorado
Selection method: Missouri plan
Term length: 10 years
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Michael Bender (Romer)
Governors appointing:
3 Romer (D)
2 Owens (R)
1 Ritter (D)
1 Hickenlooper (D)
Meeting place: Ralph L. Carr Justice Center, Denver (opening this year)
Connecticut
Selection method: Gubernatorial appointment with confirmation by both houses of the General Assembly
Term length: 8 years (no retention elections)
Mandatory retirement: 70
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Chase Rogers (Rell)
Governors appointing:
2 Wiecker (I)
1 Rowland (R)
3 Rell (R)
1 Malloy (D)
Meeting place: Supreme Court Building, Hartford
Delaware
Selection method: Gubernatorial appointment with confirmation by the Delaware Senate.
Term length: 12 years
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Five
Chief Justice: Myron Steele (Minner)
Governors appointing:
1 Carper (D)
3 Minner (D)
1 Markell (D)
Weird:
[T]hree of the five Justices of the Supreme Court in office at the same time, shall be of one major political party, and two of said Justices shall be of the other major political party.
I don't know which justices are which in this case.
Meeting place: Supreme Court Building, Wilmington
Florida
Selection method: Missouri Plan
Term length: 6 years
Mandatory retirement: 70
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Ricky Polston (Crist)
Governors appointing:
2 Chiles (D)
1 Chiles/Bush (co-chosen)
4 Crist (then R)
Meeting place: Supreme Court Building, Tallahassee
Georgia
Selection method: statewide non-partisan election
Term length: 6 years
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Carol Hunstein
Meeting place: Supreme Court Building, Atlanta
Hawaii
Selection method: Missouri Plan
Term length: 10 years
Mandatory retirement: 70
Size: Five
Chief Justice: Mark Recktenwald (Lingle)
Governors appointing:
1 Waihee (D)
2 Lingle (R)
2 Abercrombie (D)
Meeting place: Aliʻiōlani Hale, Honolulu
Idaho
Selection method: Statewide non-partisan election
Term length: 6 years
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Five
Chief Justice: Roger Burdick
Meeting place: Supreme Court Building, Boise
Illinois
Selection method: Partisan election from 5 districts
Term length: 10 years
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Thomas Kilbride (D)
District 1:
3 D
District 2:
1 R
District 3:
1 D
District 4:
1 R
District 5:
1 R
Meeting place: Illinois Supreme Courthouse, Springfield
Indiana
Selection method: Missouri Plan
Term length: 10 years (retention election after 2)
Mandatory retirement: 75
Size: Five
Chief Justice: Brent Dickson (Orr)
Governors appointing:
1 Orr (R)
1 O'Bannon (D)
3 Daniels (R)
Meeting place: Indiana Statehouse, Indianapolis
Iowa
Selection method: Missouri Plan
Term length: 10 years (retention election after 1)\
Mandatory retirement: 72
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Mark Cady (Branstad)
Governor appointing:
4 Branstad (R)
3 Vilsack (D)
Meeting place: Iowa Judicial Branch Building, Des Moines
Kansas
Selection method: Missouri Plan
Term length: 6 years
Mandatory retirement: 70
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Lawton Nuss (Graves)
Governor appointing:
2 Graves (R)
4 Sebelius (D)
1 Parkinson (D)
Meeting place: Kansas Judicial Center, Topeka
Kentucky
Selection method: Nonpartisan election from 7 districts
Term length: 8 years
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Seven (one from each district)
Chief Justice: John Minton Jr. (District 2)
Meeting place: Kentucky State Capitol, Frankfort
Louisiana
Selection method: Nonpartisan election from 7 districts
Term length: 10 years
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Bernette Johnson (District 7)
Meeting place: Supreme Court Building, French Quarter, New Orleans
Maine (Supreme Judicial Court)
Selection method: Gubernatorial appointment with confirmation by Maine Senate
Term length: 7 years
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Leigh Saufley (King)
Governor appointing:
3 King (I)
4 Baldacci (D)
Meeting place: Supreme Judicial Court Building, Portland
Maryland (Court of Appeals)
Selection method: Gubernatorial appointment from 7 districts with confirmation by Maryland Senate
Term length: 10 years (retention election after 1)
Mandatory retirement: 70
Size: Seven (one from each district)
Chief Judge: Robert Bell (Glendening, District 6)
Governor appointing:
3 Glendening (D)
1 Ehrlich (R)
3 O'Malley (D)
Meeting place: Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building, Annapolis
Massachusetts
Selection method: Gubernatorial appointment with confirmation by the
Governor's Council
Term length: n/a
Mandatory retirement: 70
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Roderick Ireland (originally by Weld, appointed as Chief by Patrick)
Governor appointing:
1 Weld (R)
2 Celucci (R)
4 Patrick (D)
Meeting place: John Adams Courthouse, Boston
Michigan
Selection method: Statewide nonpartisan election, but political parties nominate candidates (that's what the blue square means). Governors can appoint in the event of a vacancy.
Term length: 8 years
Mandatory retirement: 70
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Robert Young (Engler)
5 Republicans
2 appointed by Engler and subsequently elected
1 appointed by Snyder and subsequently elected
1 appointed by Snyder, up for election in 2014
1 elected outright
2 Democrats
2 elected outright
Meeting place: Michigan Hall of Justice, Lansing
Minnesota
Selection method: Nonpartisan election, gubernatorial appointment in event of midterm vacancy
Term length: 6 years
Mandatory retirement: 70
Size: Seven
Chief Justice: Lorie Skjerven Gildea
4 appointed by Tim Pawlenty (R) and subsequently elected
2 appointed by Mark Dayton (D), retention election in 2014
1 elected outright
Meeting place: Minnesota State Capitol, or Minnesota Judicial Center, St. Paul
Mississippi
Selection method: Nonpartisan election from 3 districts, gubernatorial appointment in event of midterm vacancy
Term length: 8 years
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Nine (3 from each district)
Chief Justice: William Waller, Jr. (District 1)
3 appointed by Haley Barbour (R) and subsequently elected
6 elected outright
Meeting place: Supreme Court Building, Jackson
Missouri
Selected method: Missouri Plan (Who'da thunk!)
Term length: 12 years (retention election after 1)
Mandatory retirement: n/a
Size: Six
Chief Justice: Richard Teitelman (Holden)
Governor appointing:
3 Holden (D)
2 Blunt (R)
1 Nixon (D)
Meeting place: Supreme Court Building, Jefferson City
The Seventh (and last) installment will be coming soon!