State Courts Hub
State of Justice 2025
As the country gears up for an exceptionally active electoral cycle in 2026, the process of selecting state supreme court justices remains a key focus. In 2025, state supreme courts continued to play a pivotal role in protecting the core tenets of democracy. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the ongoing role of state supreme courts in sustaining our democracy and highlights significant cases and judicial figures from 2025, underscoring their impact on the legal landscape.
State Supreme Courts
State courts are the workhorses of our judicial system and hear 95% of all cases filed in the country. These courts are delivering decisions every day impacting voting rights, reproductive health care, education access, LGBTQ+ rights, access to clean air and water, and more. AFJ Action has identified this important spring 2026 state supreme court election.
Did You Know?
Important Facts about State Courts
of all lawsuits in the US are filed in state courts.
states will hold State Supreme Court elections in 2026.
state supreme court seats are up for a vote in 2026.
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Voters throughout the country have the critical opportunity to shape their state courts and protect their rights at the ballot box. Stay up to date on what’s happening in your state’s highest court by subscribing to State of Justice, AFJ Action’s bi-weekly newsletter on the latest happenings in state supreme courts.
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This report examines the impact of elections and vacancies in 2024 on state supreme courts nationwide.
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Thirty-three states held elections for their respective state supreme courts in 2024. State courts are the workhorses of our judicial system and hear 95% of all cases filed in the country. These courts are delivering decisions every day impacting voting rights, reproductive health care, education access, LGBTQ+ rights, access to clean air and water, and more. AFJ Action identified critical races in these states for 2024.
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This report examines important state supreme court developments from 2023, analyzes the makeup of state supreme courts in all 50 states, and examines the 33 states with state supreme court elections in 2024. The report looks ahead to upcoming vacancies in 2025, assessing notable state supreme court decisions from 2024, and highlighting the wide-ranging and tangible impacts of state judiciaries on every aspect of our democracy.
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In 2024, 32 states held elections for at least one seat on their state’s highest court, with over 80 seats up for a vote across the country. In 2023, AFJ Action’s released first-of-its-kind State of the State Supreme Courts Report which identified the states and judges with elections in the upcoming year.
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Pennsylvania had critical judicial elections in 2023. Seats for Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court, Commonwealth Court, and Superior Court were up for election in 2023. Click the link below to learn more about the stakes of the election.
