Article VI — The Judiciary
Judicial Power
The judicial power of the State shall be vested in one supreme court, one intermediate appellate court, circuit courts, district courts and in such other courts as the legislature may from time to time establish.
[Ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]
Supreme Court; Intermediate Appellate Court; Circuit Courts
The supreme court shall consist of a chief justice and four associate justices. The chief justice may assign judges from one court to serve temporarily on another court.
[Am Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978; am HB 355 (1985) and election Nov 4, 1986]
Appointment of Justices and Judges
The governor, with the consent of the senate, shall fill a vacancy in the office of the chief justice, supreme court, intermediate appellate court and circuit courts by appointing a person from a list of not less than four, and not more than six nominees for the vacancy presented by the judicial selection commission. Justices and judges shall be residents and citizens of the State and of the United States, and licensed to practice law by the supreme court. Justices and judges shall be retired upon attaining the age of seventy years.
[Am Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978; am HB 1917 (2006) and election Nov 7, 2006; am SB 2927 (2024) and election Nov 5, 2024]
Judicial Selection Commission
There shall be a judicial selection commission that shall consist of nine members. The commission shall be selected and shall operate in a wholly nonpartisan manner. The deliberations of the commission shall be confidential.
[Add Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978; am SB 2513 (1994) and SB 2515 (1994) and election Nov 8, 1994]
Retirement; Removal; Discipline
The supreme court shall have the power to reprimand, discipline, suspend with or without salary, retire or remove from office any justice or judge for misconduct or disability.
[Am Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]
Administration
The chief justice of the supreme court shall be the administrative head of the courts. The chief justice may assign judges from one circuit court to another for temporary service.
[Ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]
Rules
The supreme court shall have power to promulgate rules and regulations in all civil and criminal cases for all courts relating to process, practice, procedure and appeals, which shall have the force and effect of law.
[Ren Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]