Tag: State courts
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Arizona Supreme Court suspends certain time requirements in response to COVID-19
The Administrative Office of the Arizona Supreme Court issued a directive on Tuesday, March 24th, extending time limits for court-related deadlines. Administrative Director of the Courts David K. Byers issued Administrative Directive No. 2020-03 as a response to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Chief Justice Robert Brutinel gave Byers the authority to suspend or alter time limits…
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Maryland Senate passes Maryland Renaming Court of Appeals Amendment
Maryland and New York are the only states in the nation that do not call its court of last resort the supreme court, but that could change after November 3, 2020. On March 13, 2020, the Maryland Senate passed Senate Bill 0393 by a vote of 45-1. If the bill is passed by the General…
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Majority of states have suspended certain court operations and jury trials
On March 22, the West Virginia Supreme Court declared a judicial emergency and suspended jury trials and all in-person proceedings, with a few exceptions, through April 10, 2020. West Virginia joined the majority of states whose judicial branches have decided to suspend certain court operations and jury trials due to the coronavirus pandemic. Through March…
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Florida governor delays state supreme court selection due to coronavirus
On March 19, 2020, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced he would delay nominating individuals to two Florida Supreme Court vacancies until at least May 1. The governor said he had not had time to review the candidates' application materials because of the coronavirus pandemic. Normally under state law, DeSantis would have needed to select…
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Rhode Island Supreme Court selection of justices
The Rhode Island Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and has five judgeships. The current chief of the court is Paul Suttell. The selection of supreme court justices begins with the Judicial Nominating Commission. The commission is composed of nine members. Five of the members must be attorneys. Various elected officials must…
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Georgia Supreme Court to review canceled supreme court election
Two candidates are challenging the cancelation of an election to fill a Georgia Supreme Court vacancy. The election was previously scheduled for May 19, 2020, to fill Justice Keith Blackwell's seat, but it was canceled after Blackwell announced he was retiring, effective November 18, 2020. A statement from the Georgia Supreme Court said the governor…
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Alaska Rep. LeDoux charged with voter misconduct
Alaska Attorney General Kevin Clarkson (R) announced on March 13 that three charges of voter misconduct and seven counts of second-degree unlawful interference with voting were filed against Alaska state representative Gabrielle LeDoux (R). LeDoux’s former aide Lisa Simpson faces charges of voter misconduct as well. LeDoux responded to these allegations stating, “because this is…
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Kansas governor announces supreme court appointment
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) appointed Judge Kenyen Wall to succeed Justice Lawton Nuss on the Kansas Supreme Court. Nuss retired on December 17, 2019. Wall is Kelly’s second nominee to the seven-member supreme court. Kenyen J. "K.J." Wall was a partner at the Forbes Law Group when he was appointed to the Kansas Supreme…
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Stitt appoints Hixon to Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) appointed Stacie Hixon on March 10 to the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals. Hixon, a Tulsa-area attorney, replaces former judge Jerry Goodman, who retired in August 2019. At the time of her appointment, Hixon was a partner at the Tulsa law firm Steadley & Neal. Goodman had served on the court…
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Ohio Democratic Party sues Ohio Secretary of State over primary election postponement
On March 17, 2020, the Democratic Party of Ohio and Kiara Sanders, a registered voter in Franklin County, filed suit against Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) in the state supreme court, alleging that LaRose was "patently and unambiguously without jurisdiction and legal authority to suspend, move, or set the date of Ohio's 2020…