Tag: State courts
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Changes to rent, mortgage, eviction, and foreclosure policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
State and local governments have implemented a range of policies affecting evictions and foreclosures in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Some governors have issued executive orders affecting evictions and foreclosures. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D), for example, issued executive orders suspending evictions and foreclosures for a set period of…
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Wisconsin's absentee ballot rejection rate averaged 1.14% for spring elections since 2012
Wisconsin voters went to the polls April 7 for the state's annual spring election. This year, in addition to presidential primaries, a seat on the state Supreme Court and a ballot measure proposing an expansion of rights for victims of crime were on the ballot. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the deadline for voters to…
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Rhode Island closes courts to non-emergency matters through May 17
On April 8, 2020, the Rhode Island state judiciary ordered that all courts would close to non-emergency matters through May 17, due to the on-going coronavirus pandemic. The order also extends to eviction proceedings, and precludes new filings or hearings from being heard before May 17. Ballotpedia is tracking how state courts are responding to…
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Alaska Supreme Court Justice Craig Stowers announces early retirement, anticipates wave of mandatory retirements
Thirty-two states have constitutionally mandated retirement ages for state supreme court justices. Twenty of those states mandate retirement at 70 years of age. Alaska is one of them, and four of the five justices on the Alaska Supreme Court will be required to retire between February 2023 and February 2025. Regarding the upcoming turnover of…
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Kemp appoints superior court judge to Georgia Court of Appeals
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) appointed Superior Court Judge Verda Colvin to serve on the Georgia Court of Appeals on March 26. Colvin was one of two judges recently appointed to fill vacancies on the appeals court. The other vacancy was created when Carla McMillian was appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court. Gov. Nathan Deal…
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Wisconsin Supreme Court enjoins governor's order postponing the election, allowing voting to continue as scheduled April 7
On April 6, 2020, the Wisconsin State Supreme Court voted 4-2 to enjoin an executive order issued earlier in the day by Governor Tony Evers (D) postponing in-person voting in the spring election, scheduled for April 7, 2020, to June 9, 2020. As a result, in-person voting is expected to take place as scheduled on…
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Former State Rep. McCoy appointed as U.S. attorney for South Carolina
U.S. Attorney General William Barr appointed South Carolina Rep. Peter McCoy (R) as the interim United States attorney for the District of South Carolina on March 30. McCoy resigned from the state House of Representatives that day to be sworn in to the position. Pres. Donald Trump (R) nominated McCoy to a permanent U.S. attorney…
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Candidate filing period for state and local races to end in Arizona, North Dakota, and Oklahoma
The major-party filing deadlines to run for state elected office in three states are coming up in the next week. Arizona’s and North Dakota’s filing deadlines are on April 6, and Oklahoma’s filing deadline is on April 10. In Arizona, prospective candidates may file for the following state offices: Corporation Commission (3 seats) State Senate…
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Ten states have ordered the release of some inmates in response to the coronavirus
Ballotpedia is providing comprehensive coverage on how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting America's political and civic life. Our coverage includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and the effects those responses are having on campaigns and elections. As of April 1, 10 states have ordered the release of inmates at the state…
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Georgia governor appoints first supreme court justice
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) appointed Judge Carla McMillian to the Georgia Supreme Court on March 27, 2020. McMillian succeeded Justice Robert Benham, who retired on March 1. McMillian is Gov. Kemp's first nominee to the nine-member supreme court. McMillian was a judge on the Georgia Court of Appeals from 2013 to 2020. She was…