About

The Federalist Society designed StateCourtsGuide.com to serve as a comprehensive, one-stop resource where visitors can learn about judicial selection in the states.  The concept was a direct response to the need for an unbiased source of basic facts and resources about a topic of increasing importance.  Across the country, legislators are debating whether to modify their state’s current method of judicial selection.  Commentators at the national and state level have taken an interest in the topic, weighing in on various sides of the debate over the best method for selecting judges, and dialogue in this area has increased.  Whether you are a supporter of judicial elections, the Missouri Plan, democratic appointment, or a hybrid of those methods, we hope you will find this website and The Federalist Society’s collection of resources enlightening.

By clicking on a state on the interactive map, you can see an overview of that state’s method of selection.  Each state’s page also contains a news feed that displays the latest news about the state’s high court, and other Federalist Society resources relating to judicial selection in that state.  StateCourtsGuide.com contains many other helpful resources, including national and state-level public opinion surveys on the topics of judicial selection and judicial philosophy, and links to relevant scholarship on all sides of the issue.  As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy initiatives and seeks to foster further discussion and debate about judicial selection in the states. To help us add to our collection of resources, or to make comments or ask questions about the website, please write to StateCourtsGuide@fed-soc.org.
  • Judicial Election

    Judges are elected by popular vote.
  • Democratic Appointment

    Judges are appointed directly by a democratic body, or appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of some democratic body.