Tag: State courts
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Texas Supreme Court rules that a voter’s lack of immunity does not qualify as a disability for absentee voting purposes
On May 27, 2020, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that a voter’s lack of immunity to COVID-19 does not qualify as a disability under the state’s election laws and, therefore, cannot be cited as an excuse for voting absentee. The court ruled unanimously on the matter. Chief Justice Nathan Hecht wrote the following in the…
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Connecticut Supreme Court justice to retire
On May 27, 2020, Connecticut Supreme Court Justice Richard Palmer stepped down from the court after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 years. Palmer joined the Connecticut Supreme Court in 1993 after being appointed by Gov. Lowell Weicker and confirmed by the Connecticut General Assembly. Palmer was renominated and reconfirmed every eight years following. Prior to joining the court, Palmer served as the…
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Candidate filing period to pass in five states
The filing deadlines to run for state-level offices in Alaska, Kansas, Wisconsin, Hawaii, and Minnesota will pass next week. Alaska’s, Kansas’, and Wisconsin’s filing deadlines will pass on June 1. The filing deadlines in Hawaii and Minnesota will pass on June 2. Alaska In Alaska, prospective candidates may file for the following state offices: State…
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Virginia Supreme Court to hear environmental law case on oyster fisheries
On May 18, 2020, the Virginia Supreme Court announced that it will hear a case between the City of Suffolk and a group of Virginia oyster fishermen. The original lawsuit was filed in November 2018 by C. Robert Johnson III, Lisa Lawson Johnson, Thomas Hazelwood, Johnson and Sons Seafood, and Hazelwood Oyster Farms, who sued…
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After two-month delay, Florida governor appoints two Florida Supreme Court justices
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) appointed John Couriel and Renatha Francis to the Florida Supreme Court on May 26, 2020. Couriel and Francis succeeded Justices Robert J. Luck and Barbara Lagoa, who vacated the seats in November 2019 after being elevated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Couriel and Francis will join…
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One Indiana Supreme Court justice faces a retention election in November
One Indiana Supreme Court justice, Christopher M. Goff, will face a retention election on November 3, 2020. He was appointed in 2017 by Governor Eric Holcomb (R). Currently, every justice on the court was appointed by a Republican governor. The governor appoints the five justices of the supreme court through a hybrid nominating commission where…
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Voters decide Oregon’s state executive, legislative, judicial, and municipal primaries
The statewide primary for Oregon was held on May 19, 2020. Candidates competed to advance to the general election scheduled for November 3, 2020. Due to Oregon’s vote-by-mail system, vote totals are continuing to be reported. Candidates ran in elections for the following offices: Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Attorney General • Secretary of State:…
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Balmer wins re-election to the Oregon Supreme Court
Thomas Balmer won re-election to the Oregon Supreme Court, Position 1, on May 19. He defeated challenger Van Pounds. According to unofficial results, Balmer received 71.5% of the vote to Pounds’ 28.1%. In Oregon, candidates in nonpartisan primaries can win an election outright if they receive over 50% of the vote in the primary. Balmer,…
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Minnesota Gov Tim Walz (D) appoints Gordon Moore to state Supreme Court
On May 15, 2020 Gov. Tim Walz (D) announced District Court Justice Gordon Moore as his first appointment to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Justice David Lillehaug intends to resign in July 2020, and Justice Moore will take his seat on the bench. Lillehaug has served on the Minnesota Supreme Court since 2013, and announced that…
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Georgia Supreme Court upholds canceled election, appointment of Blackwell’s successor
Georgia Supreme Court Justice Keith Blackwell’s seat was expected to be up for nonpartisan election on June 9, 2020. Blackwell announced in February that he is retiring on November 18. At that time, the state supreme court announced that Governor Brian Kemp (R) would appoint Blackwell’s replacement. The appointment was challenged in court, and the state supreme court…