State supreme court vacancy count for July 2024

In this month’s state supreme court vacancy update, Ballotpedia tracked announced retirements, nominations, appointments, confirmations, and the swearing-in of justices from July 1, 2025, to July 31, 2025. Ballotpedia tracks court vacancies in all 52 state supreme courts.

Announced retirements:

During July 2025, no state supreme court justices announced upcoming retirements.

Candidates nominated, appointed, and confirmed:

In July 2025, finalists were announced for the vacancy in West Virginia, and an appointment was made in Georgia.

In West Virginia, finalists were announced to fill the vacancy caused by the June 2025 retirement of Justice Beth Walker. Earlier in July, the West Virginia Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission released a list of 15 applicants who applied to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, the state’s court of last resort. The Commission interviewed applicants, and four finalists were announced. The list of four candidates was sent to Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R), who has yet to make the final appointment. The list of finalists includes a state appellate court judge, two circuit court judges, and a former assistant U.S. Attorney. To view the list of applicants and finalists, visit the vacancy page by clicking here.
In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) appointed Ben Land to the state’s supreme court. Before his appointment, Land served on the Georgia Court of Appeals. He was appointed to the appellate court by Kemp in 2022 and won re-election in 2024. Land will have the opportunity to run for re-election to the seat in 2026.

Justices sworn in/out:

In July 2025, one justice was sworn out of office in Kansas, and a new justice was sworn into office in Georgia.

In Kansas, Justice Evelyn Z. Wilson stepped down from the state’s highest court on July 4, 2025. Wilson announced her retirement on March 24, 2025, citing a recent ALS diagnosis. She was initially appointed to the court by Gov. Laura Kelly (D) in 2019. Before her appointment to the court, she served on a Kansas district court from 2004 to 2019. Kelly had not announced Wilson’s replacement as of July 31, 2025.
In Georgia, Ben Land was sworn into the Georgia Supreme Court on July 17, 2025. He was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp (R) on the same day and is Kemp’s fifth nominee to the nine-member court. Land succeeds Michael P. Boggs, who retired on March 31, 2025, to return to private practice.