In this month's state supreme court vacancy update, Ballotpedia tracked announced retirements, nominations, appointments, confirmations, and the swearing-in of justices from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28, 2026. Ballotpedia tracks court vacancies in all 52 state supreme courts.
Justices sworn into office:
During February 2026, two justices were sworn in to the Vermont Supreme Court, and one justice was sworn into the Colorado Supreme Court.
- On Feb. 6, Christina Nolan and Michael Drescher were sworn into the Vermont Supreme Court. Nolan, a former U.S. Attorney and a 2022 U.S. Senate candidate, was nominated to succeed Justice William Cohen. Drescher, who also worked in Vermont's U.S. Attorney's office, was nominated to succeed Justice Karen R. Carroll. Both candidates were confirmed by the Vermont State Senate on Feb. 6 and were sworn in the same day. Nolan and Drescher are Gov. Phil Scott’s (R) fourth and fifth nominees to the five-member supreme court.
- On Feb. 17, Susan Blanco was sworn into the Colorado Supreme Court. Blanco replaces Justice Melissa Hart, who retired on Jan. 5. Blanco is Gov. Jared Polis' (D) second nominee to the seven-member supreme court. To remain on the court, Blanco must stand for retention in 2028. If retained, Blanco will serve a full 10-year term.
Candidates nominated:
During February 2026, there were no new nominations to state supreme courts.
Candidates appointed and nominees confirmed:
During February 2026, one nominee was confirmed, and two candidates were appointed.
- On Feb. 11, Daniel Will was confirmed by the New Hampshire Executive Council to the state supreme court. Will’s confirmation comes about two weeks after Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) nominated him to the court. Will's previous career experience includes serving on the New Hampshire Superior Court since 2021. Prior to his judicial tenure, he served as New Hampshire‘s first Solicitor General. As of Feb. 28, he had not been sworn in.
- On Feb. 17, Gov. Jared Polis (D) appointed Susan Blanco to the Colorado Supreme Court. Blanco, an attorney and former district court judge, replaces Justice Melissa Hart, who retired earlier this year. Blanco was sworn in on the same day.
- On Feb. 18, Gov. Kelly Armstrong (R) appointed Mark A. Friese to the North Dakota Supreme Court. Friese is an attorney in Fargo, North Dakota, with the Vogel Law Firm. Friese replaces Justice Daniel Crothers, who retired on Feb. 28. Friese will take office on March 9.
Justices sworn out and upcoming judicial retirements:
During February 2026, retirements of two state supreme court justices were scheduled, and two justices stepped down from their seats.
- On Feb. 2, Justice Barbara Madsen announced her retirement from the Washington State Supreme Court. Madsen, who has been on the court for 33 years, announced her final day would be April 3. She was first elected through a nonpartisan election in 1992. She held the chief justice position on the court from 2010 to 2017. Prior to serving on the state supreme court, Madsen served on the Seattle Municipal Court. Madsen’s retirement from the court gives Gov. Bob Ferguson (D) his second opportunity to nominate a justice to the nine-member supreme court.
- On Feb. 11, Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg announced her retirement from the Rhode Island Supreme Court later this year. Goldberg was initially appointed to a lifetime term on the court by Gov. Lincoln Almond (R) in 1997. Prior to her tenure on the Rhode Island Supreme Court, Goldberg served as a judge on the Rhode Island Superior Court from 1990 to 1997. In her retirement letter, Goldberg stated her last day on the court would be March 27. Her retirement gives Gov. Daniel McKee (D) his first opportunity to appoint a justice to the five-member supreme court.
- On Feb. 12, Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi retired from the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Her retirement comes after she reached New Hampshire's mandatory retirement age of 70. Hantz Marconi was initially appointed to the court by Gov. Chris Sununu (R) in 2017. Prior to her appointment, Hantz Marconi was an attorney at Sheehan, Phinney, Bass, & Green. As of Feb. 28, her successor, Daniel Will, had not been sworn in.
- On Feb. 28, Justice Daniel Crothers retired from the North Dakota Supreme Court. Crothers was initially appointed to the court in 2005 by Gov. John Hoeven (R). Prior to his appointment, Crothers was an attorney in private practice. His successor, Mark A. Friese, will be sworn in on March 9.
Other news:
The filing deadline for the special election to the Louisiana Supreme Court passed on Feb. 13. Gov. Jeff Landry (R) called for a special election to be held on Nov. 3, 2026, after former Justice William J. Crain was elevated to a federal judgeship. At the conclusion of the filing deadline, only two candidates qualified to appear on the May 16 primary ballot: District Judge William H. Burris and Appellate Judge Blair Downing Edwards. Burris and Edwards are both seeking the Republican nomination to the First District on the Louisiana Supreme Court. Louisiana is one of four states that elect state supreme court justices by geographic region. In Louisiana, the First District of the Supreme Court consists of the following parishes: Livingston, Orleans (partial), St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington. To learn more about this election, click here.
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