Tag: judicial
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State supreme court vacancy count for June 2025
In this month’s state supreme court vacancy update, Ballotpedia tracked announced retirements, nominations, appointments, confirmations, and the swearing-in of justices from June 1 to June 30, 2025. Ballotpedia tracks vacancies in all 52 state supreme courts. Justice retirements: One justice stepped down from her state’s highest court in June 2025. On June 27, Beth Walker…
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Supreme Court limits nationwide injunctions in Trump v. CASA, Inc.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6–3 decision in Trump v. CASA, Inc. on June 27, holding that federal district courts exceeded their authority by issuing universal injunctions—orders that block a federal policy nationwide, not just for the parties in the case. The Court did not decide the constitutionality of the underlying executive order concerning…
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Louisiana voters to decide on raising judicial retirement age from 70 to 75 in April 2026
Louisiana voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would increase the judicial retirement age from 70 to 75. It will appear on the ballot on April 18, 2026. Currently, 31 states and the District of Columbia have mandatory retirement ages for judges. These laws require judges to retire either upon reaching a specified age…
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Ballotpedia releases federal judicial vacancy count for April 2025
In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies from March 2, 2025, to April 1, 2025. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS New vacancies There were 45 vacancies out of 870 active Article III judicial positions, a total vacancy percentage of 5.2%,…
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President Trump has yet to appoint any federal judges 72 days into his first year of his second term
President Donald Trump (R) had not nominated any Article III federal judges as of April 1, 2025, his first year of his second term in office. The average number of federal judges appointed by previous presidents through April 1 of his first year in office is also zero. By April 1 of his first term…
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Maryland voters to decide on changes to vacancy procedures for Judicial Disabilities Commission in 2026
The Maryland State Legislature voted to send a constitutional amendment to the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot that would change how vacancies are filled on the Judicial Disabilities Commission. The amendment would allow the chair of the Commission on Judicial Disabilities to appoint former members to temporarily fill vacancies or allow the governor to appoint a…
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Kansas voters to decide on amendment for direct election of state Supreme Court justices in August 2026
The Kansas State Legislature voted to send a constitutional amendment to voters that would provide for direct election of state Supreme Court justices and abolish the existing Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission. The amendment states that the seven justices would be elected at staggered general elections with positions 1, 2, and 3 elected in November…
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Indiana voters to decide on amendment expanding residency options for city and town court judges in 2026
The Indiana State Legislature gave final approval to a constitutional amendment requiring city and town court judges to reside in either the county where the court is located or the bordering county closest to the court. Currently, city and town court judges must live in the city or town where the court is located. The…
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Louisiana voters to decide on four constitutional amendments addressing taxes, courts, and criminal justice on March 29
On March 29, Louisiana voters will decide on four constitutional amendments that address tax policy, judicial procedures, and juvenile justice laws. A two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber was required to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. All four of the amendments were passed with 100% of Republican legislators in favor while most Democrats…
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196 bills on the administrative state introduced in 2025 sessions so far
Ballotpedia’s Administrative State Legislation Tracker captured 196 bills introduced in the 2025 legislative session as of Jan. 17. Legislators in 28 states and Congress filed bills, including policy proposals related to oversight of regulations, judicial deference to agencies, agency use of artificial intelligence (AI) surveillance, regulation budgets and limitations, cost-benefit analysis requirements, agency appointment processes,…