Colorado
Colorado Supreme Court By The Numbers:
Justice
Former prosecutor
- 7 total seats
- 0 current vacancies
- 5 prosecutors
- 0 public defenders
- 0 Justices have other indigent defense experience
- 0 civil rights lawyers
How Members of the Colorado Supreme Court are Selected:
Appointment, Retention Election
Justices are appointed by the governor from a list of names compiled by the Colorado Supreme Court Nominating Commission. The Commission consists of 15 members – the Chief Justice (who does not vote on appointments), eight non-lawyers appointed by the governor, and seven lawyers who are jointly appointed by the governor, Attorney General, and Chief Justice. Initial terms last at least two years, after which justices must stand for retention in a yes-no election. After the first retention election, justices stand for a yes-no retention election every 10 years.
Selection method sources:
Ballotpedia, Judicial Election Methods By State, Colorado Supreme Court Nominating Commission; Brennan Center for Justice, Judicial Selection: An Interactive Map