Tag: state supreme court
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Massachusetts governor nominates Budd to be chief justice of state supreme court
On October 28, 2020, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced the nomination of Associate Justice Kimberly S. Budd as the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s chief justice. If confirmed, Budd would replace Ralph D. Gants, who died on September 14, 2020. Budd would also be the first Black woman to serve as chief justice in the court’s…
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Hawaii governor appoints Eddins to state supreme court
Hawaii Gov. David Ige (D) appointed Todd Eddins to the Hawaii Supreme Court on October 23, 2020. Pending confirmation from the Hawaii State Senate, Eddins will succeed Justice Richard W. Pollack, who retired on June 30, 2020, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 years. Eddins is Ige’s first nominee to the five-member supreme…
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Illinois Supreme Court decides case allowing suspended police officers to seek backpay
On October 22, 2020, the Illinois Supreme Court decided Goral v. Dart, a case on police officers’ right to due process to claim backpay. The case concerned a decision regarding the legitimacy of Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart’s Merit Board. The Illinois Supreme Court upheld an appellate court’s decision which determined that officers suspended without…
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One North Dakota Supreme Court seat up for nonpartisan election in November
The seat held by North Dakota Supreme Court Justice Jon Jay Jensen will be up for a nonpartisan election on November 3, 2020. Jensen is seeking re-election unopposed. Gov. Doug Burgum (R) appointed Jensen in 2017. Despite the normal method of judicial selection being a nonpartisan election, all but one justice of the North Dakota…
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Texas Gov. Abbott appoints Rebeca Huddle to replace Justice Paul Green on state supreme court
On October 15, 2020, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) appointed Rebeca Huddle to replace Justice Paul Green on the Texas Supreme Court. Justice Green announced his retirement from the Texas Supreme Court in August 2020. Huddle is a Republican who served as a justice on Texas’ First District Court of Appeals. She graduated from Stanford University…
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Rhode Island Supreme Court justice set to retire in December
Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice Francis Flaherty is retiring on December 31, 2020. Flaherty announced plans to pursue other interests following his retirement. Flaherty earned a bachelor’s degree from Providence College in 1968. He earned a J.D., cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School in 1975. Flaherty’s career experience includes working as an attorney in private…
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Two Montana Supreme Court seats are up for nonpartisan election in November
The seats of Montana Supreme Court Justices Laurie McKinnon and Jim Shea will be up for a nonpartisan election in November. Jim Shea is running uncontested while McKinnon is running in a race with Mike Black. McKinnon was last elected in 2012 while Shea was appointed in 2014 and elected in 2016. Two of Montana’s…
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Whitener, Serns compete in Washington State Supreme Court election
Incumbent G. Helen Whitener and Richard Serns are running in the special general election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 6 on November 3, 2020. Whitener was appointed by Governor Jay Inslee (D) on April 13, 2020, following Justice Charles K. Wiggins’ retirement. Whitener was previously a judge on the Pierce County Superior Court, on…
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One Alaska Supreme Court justice seeks retention in November
Alaska Supreme Court Justice Susan Carney is seeking retention on November 3, 2020. She was appointed by Gov. Bill Walker (I) in 2016. Currently, four of the justices on the court were appointed by a Republican governor while one was appointed by an independent governor. The governor appoints the five justices of the supreme court…