State supreme court vacancy count for June 2026

In this month's state supreme court vacancy update, Ballotpedia tracked announced retirements, nominations, appointments, confirmations, and swearings-in of justices from June 1 to July 1, 2026. Ballotpedia tracks court vacancies in all 52 state supreme courts.

Justices sworn into office:

During June 2026, three justices were sworn into office.

In Louisiana, district court judge William H. Burris (R) was sworn in as a justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. Burris was sworn in on June 17, 2026, following his win in the May 16 Republican primary. No Democratic candidates filed to run against Burris, so the Nov. 3 election was canceled, and Burris was automatically declared the winner of the seat. Burris succeeds William J. Crain (R), who retired on Dec. 19, 2025, following his swearing-in as the newest federal judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Crain was a justice on the Louisiana Supreme Court from 2019 until his elevation to the federal judiciary in December 2025. Both Crain and Burris are registered with the Republican Party, meaning the partisan balance of the court did not change. Burris will serve the remainder of Crain's term, becoming eligible to run for partisan re-election in 2028.
In Utah, two candidates were sworn into the Utah Supreme Court on June 22, 2026. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Dent and senior counsel to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Jay Jorgensen were sworn into office following their June 17 confirmation by the Utah State Senate. Both men were appointed by Gov. Spencer Cox (R), who was tasked with filling two newly created seats on the court, following the passage of SB 134. SB 134, among other changes, added two more seats to the Utah Supreme Court. As such, neither Dent nor Jorgensen has a predecessor. Following their swearings-in, the court had four justices appointed by Cox, two appointed by former Gov. Gary Herbert (R), and one vacancy. In addition to filling the other vacancy on the court, Cox will have the opportunity to appoint a successor to Chief Justice Matthew Durrant, who announced he would be stepping down later in 2026. After making these two appointments, six of the seven justices on the Utah Supreme Court will have been appointed by Cox. Both Jorgensen and Dent will serve on the court for at least three years and must stand for retention election in 2030, should they wish to remain on the court.
In Tennessee, appellate judge Kyle Hixson was sworn into the Tennessee Supreme Court on July 1. Hixson succeeds Justice Holly Kirby, who retired on June 30. Hixson was nominated to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals by Gov. Bill Lee (R) in 2022. He served on the appellate court for four years until his nomination to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Lee nominated Hixson to the state's highest court in January 2026. He was confirmed by both houses of the Tennessee General Assembly in March 2026 and took office in July 2026. Hixson must also appear on the ballot in August 2026, giving voters the chance to weigh in on Lee's nomination just weeks after he made it. If retained, Hixson would serve a full eight-year term.

Candidates nominated:

In June 2026, three justices were nominated to two state supreme courts.

In Utah, Gov. Spencer Cox (R) nominated Jay Jorgensen and Stephen Dent to the Utah Supreme Court on June 2. Prior to his nomination to the court, Jorgensen worked as the senior counsel to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Before his nomination, Dent worked as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah. Both men were subject to a confirmation vote in the Utah State Senate on June 17.
In Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) nominated appellate judge Melanie Cradle to the Connecticut Supreme Court on June 15. Cradle's nomination is subject to confirmation from both houses of the Connecticut General Assembly. As of July 1, neither house had confirmed Cradle's nomination. Upon Cradle's nomination, Justice Joan K. Alexander announced her official retirement date of Aug. 1. Alexander previously announced her retirement from the court in October 2025 but did not announce her official retirement date until her successor was named. Cradle has served on the Connecticut Appellate Court since 2020 and is the first Black woman to be nominated to the state's highest court.

Candidates appointed and nominees confirmed:

In June 2026, one justice was appointed to one state supreme court, and two more were confirmed to another.

In Delaware, Gov. Matt Meyer (D) appointed Morgan Zurn to the Delaware Supreme Court on June 5. Zurn has served as one of six vice chancellors on the Delaware Court of Chancery since 2018. She succeeds Justice Karen L. Valihura, who is retiring at the end of her current term on July 25, 2026. As of July 1, 2026, Zurn had not yet been sworn into office. Once Zurn takes office, she will serve for a full 12-year term.
In Utah, Jay Jorgensen and Stephen Dent were confirmed by the Utah State Senate on June 17. Their confirmation comes two weeks after their initial appointment to the court by Gov. Spencer Cox (R). Both men were sworn in on June 22. Following their swearings-in, Utah has a majority-male court for the first time since 2022.

Justices sworn out and upcoming judicial retirements:

In June 2026, one justice resigned from office.

In Tennessee, Justice Holly Kirby resigned from the Tennessee Supreme Court. Her June 30 resignation ended a judicial career spanning more than three decades. Kirby was the first woman to serve on the Tennessee Court of Appeals when she was initially nominated to that position in 1995. After serving on the appellate court for 18 years, she was nominated to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Former Gov. Bill Haslam (R) nominated Kirby for the position of justice in 2013. Kirby took office in 2014 and served on the state's highest court for 12 years. In an August 2023 chamber vote, the justices of the Tennessee Supreme Court elected Kirby to serve as the chief justice for a two-year term. She was the fourth woman to hold this position since the Tennessee Supreme Court was created in 1870. Kirby's successor, appellate judge Kyle Hixson, was sworn in on July 1.

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