A person may become a state‐level judge in one of three ways—via a gubernatorial or legislative appointment, as a result of a popular election, or through a merit system. This entry provides an overview of all three of these methods, and explains why selection and appointment procedures have changed over time. The entry also explores whether any one method may be “better” than the others. Findings from empirical research studies are used throughout to inform the discussion.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.