Judicial selection in Mississippi

Judicial selection in Mississippi
Mississippi Supreme Court
Method:	Nonpartisan election
Term:	8 years
Mississippi Court of Appeals
Method:	Nonpartisan election
Term:	8 years
Mississippi Circuit Court
Method:	Nonpartisan election
Term:	4 years
Mississippi Chancery Court
Method:	Nonpartisan election
Term:	4 years
Mississippi County Court
Method:	Nonpartisan election
Term:	4 years
Mississippi Justice Courts
Method:	Partisan election
Term:	4 years

Judicial selection refers to the process used to select judges for courts. At the state level, methods of judicial selection vary substantially in the United States, and in some cases between different court types within a state. There are six primary types of judicial selection: partisan and nonpartisan elections, the Michigan method, assisted appointment, gubernatorial appointment, and legislative elections. To read more about how these selection methods are used across the country, click here.

This article covers how state court judges are selected in Mississippi, including:

• Mississippi Supreme Court,
• Mississippi Court of Appeals,
• Mississippi Circuit Courts, and
• Limited jurisdiction courts

As of April 2025, the selection of the state court judges in Mississippi primarily occurred through the nonpartisan election of judges, with the exception of justice courts and municipal courts. In justice courts, judges were elected in partisan elections. In municipal courts, judges were appointed. Mississippi was the first state in the union to begin electing judges by popular vote.

Click here to notify us of changes to judicial selection methods in this state.

Mississippi Supreme Court

See also: Mississippi Supreme Court

The nine justices on the Mississippi Supreme Court are elected to eight-year terms in nonpartisan elections. All candidates must run in the general election (as Mississippi holds no primary for judicial candidates) and must face re-election if they wish to serve again. For more information about these elections, visit the Mississippi judicial elections page.

Unlike most states, supreme court justices in Mississippi are elected to represent specific districts. The nine justices are divided among three supreme court districts (not to be confused with the 22 divisions of the circuit courts) and are voted into office by the residents of their respective regions. Only the states of Illinois, Kentucky, and Louisiana use a similar system.

Qualifications

To serve on this court, a judge must be:

• a qualified elector for and from the district in which election is sought;
• a minimum of 30 years old;
• a practicing attorney; and
• a state citizen for at least five years.

Chief justice

The court's chief justice is selected by seniority. He or she serves until retirement when the justice with the next most judicial experience becomes chief.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state supreme courts

If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, a temporary judge is named by the governor. Appointees serve out the remainder of their predecessor's unexpired term if four or fewer years of the term remain. If there are more than four years remaining, the appointee will run in the next general election, taking place nine months or more after the vacancy occurs. The winner of the election will serve the remainder of the term.

The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.