Data Visualization
Judicial Selection across the United States
Part of the Fair Courts Project's investigation into Judicial Selection for the 21st Century
Judicial Selection processes for all 50 states and DC. Covers all three state court levels.
Each day, state court judges shape the country we live in. They interpret the law to resolve disagreements and protect the rights of people in the communities they serve. Yet in spite of their consistent importance state court judges are selected differently in nearly every state.
Not into maps? Go straight to the summary statistics.
States select judges differently depending on both the level of state court and what type of judicial vacancy is being filled. Use the dropdown menus to view selection processes for a given court level and selection phase, or select "Overview" for a general summary.
Click the "Reset" button at any time to return to the map's starting position.
Click to interact directly with the map and legend. Hover over any colored bar for a glance at the states included in that category, and click to highlight that group of states in the map.
Download the table of sources used to build the map.
About This Visualization
An interactive map visualization showing how each of the 50 US states and DC selects judges across three court levels. Part of the Brennan Center for Justice’s Fair Courts Project.
About This Project
This visualization was created for the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. It explores the diverse methods states use to select judges, revealing how judicial selection varies significantly across the country.
How It Works
Dropdown Menus
Select court level and phase to filter the map view
Reset Button
Return to the map’s starting position
Legend
Hover over colored bars to see states, click to highlight on map
State Selector
Choose a specific state to view its judicial selection details