Qualifications of Judges of State Appellate Courts and General Trial Courts
Residency requirement | |||||||||||||
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State | Local | Minimum age | Legal credentials | ||||||||||
FIPS | State or other jurisdiction |
A | T | A | T | A | T | A | T | ||||
01 | Alabama | 1 yr. | 1 yr. | ✕ | 1 yr. | ✕ | 18 | 10 years state bar | 5 years state bar | ||||
02 | Alaska | 5 yrs. | 5 yrs. | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | 8 years practice | 5 years practice | ||||
04 | Arizona | 5/10 yrs. (a) | 5 yrs. | (b) | 1 yr. | 30 | 30 | (c) | (d) | ||||
05 | Arkansas | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | 8 years practice | 6 years licensed in state | ||||
06 | California | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | 10 years state bar | 10 years state bar | ||||
08 | Colorado | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | 5 years state bar | 5 years state bar | ||||
09 | Connecticut | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | Licensed attorney | Member of the bar | ||||
10 | Delaware | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "Learned in law" | "Learned in law" | ||||
12 | Florida | ✓ | ✓ | ✓(f) | ✓(g) | ✕ | ✕ | 10 years state bar | 5 years state bar | ||||
13 | Georgia | ✓ | 3 yrs. | ✕ | must reside within court circuit | ✕ | 30 | 7 years state bar | 7 years state bar | ||||
15 | Hawaii | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | 30 | 10 years state bar | 10 years state bar | ||||
16 | Idaho | 2 yrs. | 1 yr. | ✕ | ✕ | 30 | ✕ | 10 years state bar | 10 years state bar | ||||
17 | Illinois | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | Licensed attorney | Law degree | ||||
18 | Indiana | ✓ | 1 yr. | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | 10 years state bar (h) | Licensed attorney | ||||
19 | Iowa | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | Licensed attorney | Admitted to state bar | ||||
20 | Kansas | ✕ | 5 yrs. | ✕ | ✕ | 30 | 30 | 10 years active and continuous practice (i) | 5 years state bar | ||||
21 | Kentucky | 2 yrs. | 2 yrs. | 2 yrs. | 2 yrs. | ✕ | ✕ | 8 years state bar and licensed attorney | 8 years state bar | ||||
22 | Louisiana | 1 yrs. | 1 yrs. | 1 yrs. | 1 yrs. | ✕ | ✕ | 10 years state bar | 8 years state bar | ||||
23 | Maine | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | "Learned in law" | 1 year state bar | ||||
24 | Maryland | 5 yrs. | 5 yrs. | 6 mos. | 6 mos. | 30 | 30 | State bar member | State bar member | ||||
25 | Massachusetts | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | State bar member | ||||
26 | Michigan | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | State bar member and 5 years practice | State bar member | ||||
27 | Minnesota | 30 days | 30 days | ✕ | 30 days | ✕ | ✕ | Licensed attorney | Licensed attorney | ||||
28 | Mississippi | 5 yrs. | 5 yrs. | ✓(j) | ✕ | 30 | 26 | 5 years state bar | 5 years practice | ||||
29 | Missouri | 9 yrs. (k) | 3 yrs. (k) | ✕ | 1 yr. (k) | 30 | 30 | State bar member | State bar member | ||||
30 | Montana | 2 yrs. | 2 yrs. | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | 5 years state bar | 5 years state bar | ||||
31 | Nebraska | 3 yrs. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 30 | 30 | 5 years practice | 5 years practice | ||||
32 | Nevada | 2 yrs. | 2 yrs. | ✕ | ✕ | 25 | 25 | State bar member (l) | 2 years state bar member and 10 years practice | ||||
33 | New Hampshire | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | 10 years practice | State bar member | ||||
34 | New Jersey | ✓ | (m) | ✕ | (m) | ✕ | ✕ | Admitted to practice in state for at least 10 years | 10 years practice of law | ||||
35 | New Mexico | 3 yrs. | 3 yrs. | ✕ | ✓ | 35 | 35 | 10 years practice | 6 years active practice | ||||
36 | New York | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | 18 | 10 years state bar | 10 years state bar | ||||
37 | North Carolina | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | (n) | ✕ | ✕ | State bar member | State bar member | ||||
38 | North Dakota | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | License to practice law | State bar member | ||||
39 | Ohio | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | 6 years practice | 6 years practice | ||||
40 | Oklahoma | ✓ | (o) | 1 yr. | ✓ | 30 | ✕ | 5 years state bar | (p) | ||||
41 | Oregon | 3 yrs. | 3 yrs. | ✕ | 1 yr. | ✕ | ✕ | State bar member | State bar member | ||||
42 | Pennsylvania | 1 yr. | ✓ | ✕ | 1 yr. | ✕ | 21 | State bar member | State bar member | ||||
44 | Rhode Island | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | 21 | ✕ | License to practice law | State bar member | ||||
45 | South Carolina | 5 yrs. | 5 yrs. | ✕ | (q) | 32 | 32 | 8 years state bar | 8 years state bar | ||||
46 | South Dakota | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | State bar member | State bar member | ||||
47 | Tennessee | 5 yrs. | 5 yrs. | ✓(r) | 1 yr. | 35/30 (s) | 30 | License to practice law | License to practice law | ||||
48 | Texas | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | 2 yrs. | 35 | 25 | (t) | (u) | ||||
49 | Utah | 5 yrs. | 3 yrs. | ✕ | ✓ | 30 | 25 | State bar member | State bar member | ||||
50 | Vermont | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | 5 years state bar | 5 years state bar | ||||
51 | Virginia | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | 5 years state bar | 5 years state bar | ||||
53 | Washington | 1 yr. | 1 yr. | 1 yr. | 1 yr. | ✕ | ✕ | State bar member | State bar member | ||||
54 | West Virginia | 5 yrs. | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | 30 | 30 | 10 years state bar | 5 years state bar | ||||
55 | Wisconsin | 28 days | 28 days | 28 days | 28 days | ✕ | 18 | 5 years state bar | 5 years state bar | ||||
56 | Wyoming | 3 yrs. | 2 yrs. | ✕ | ✕ | 30 | 28 | 9 years practice | Law degree | ||||
__ | Dist. of Columbia | N.A. | N.A. | 90 days | 90 days | ✕ | ✕ | 5 years practice | 5 years state bar (v) | ||||
72 | Puerto Rico | 5 yrs. | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | 10 years practice | 7 years state bar |
Source:
National Center for State Courts, July 2022.Key:
A | — | Judges of courts of last resort and intermediate appellate courts. |
T | — | Judges of general trial courts. |
✓ | — | Provision; length of time not specified. |
✕ | — | No specific provision. |
N.A. | — | Not applicable. |
Footnotes:
(a) | For court of appeals, five years. |
(b) | No local residency requirement stated for Supreme Court. Local residency of 3 years required for Court of Appeals. |
(c) | Supreme Court- ten years state bar, Court of Appeals – five years state bar. |
(d) | Admitted to the practice of law in Arizona for five years. |
(e) | Court of Appeals minimum age is 30. |
(f) | The candidate must be a resident of the district at the time of the original appointment. |
(g) | Circuit court judge must reside within the territorial jurisdiction of the court. |
(h) | In the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, five years service as a general jurisdiction judge may be substituted. |
(i) | Relevant legal experience, such as being a member of a law faculty or sitting as a judge, may qualify under the 10 year requirement. |
(j) | Must reside within the district. |
(k) | At the appellate level must have been a state voter for nine years. At the general trial court level must have been a state voter for three years and resident of the circuit for 1 year. |
(l) | Minimum of two years state bar member and at least 15 years of legal practice. |
(m) | Restricted Superior court judgeships require residence within the particular county of assignment at time of appointment and reappointment. |
(n) | Resident judges of the Superior Court are required to have local residency, but special judges are not. |
(o) | District and associate judges must be state residents for six months if elected, and associate judges must be county residents. |
(p) | District Court: judges must be a state bar member for four years or a judge of court record. Associate judges must be a state bar member for two years or a judge of a court of record. |
(q) | Circuit judges must be county electors and residents of the circuit. |
(r) | Supreme Court: One justice from each of three divisions and two seats at large; no more than two may be from any grand division. Court of Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals: Must reside in the grand division served. |
(s) | 35 for Supreme Court, 30 for Court of Appeals & Court of Criminal Appeals. |
(t) | Ten years practicing law or a lawyer and judge of a court of record at least 10 years. |
(u) | District Court: judges must have been a practicing lawyer or a judge of a court in this state, or both combined, for four years. |
(v) | Superior Court: Judge must also be an active member of the unified District of Columbia bar and have been engaged, during the five years immediately preceding the judicial nomination, in the active practice of law as an attorney in the District, been on the faculty of a law school in the District, or been employed by either the by the United States or District of Columbia government. |