What to Know About Judicial Selection

This November, millions of Californians will cast ballots for offices and propositions at the local, state, and federal levels. Among the choices: 64 state judicial officers who qualify for retention. Each voter will only see the judicial officers relevant to their district, but all Californians will vote to retain any Supreme Court justices as well as Court of Appeal justices serving their region.

5 Things to Know
1. Elections for appellate court justices are “retention” elections, meaning voters simply decide whether a justice should continue to serve.

2. The elections are uncontested—no other candidates may run for those seats. All candidates run as nonpartisan.

3. Judicial retention elections occur every four years, coinciding with gubernatorial elections. A newly appointed justice must first appear on the ballot at the next such election, provided there is enough time to file.

4. Appellate justices serve 12-year terms, beginning in early January after their election. Depending on when a justice is appointed within the 12-year cycle, their initial term may be shortened to 8 or 4 years.

5. Appellate justices are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, composed of the Chief Justice, the Attorney General, and the district’s presiding justice (or longest-serving presiding justice if there are multiple). The State Bar’s Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation reviews candidates’ backgrounds and qualifications.

Mentorship Programs Build Pipeline to Judiciary
The California Judicial Mentorship Program, developed jointly by the judicial and executive branches, began as a pilot program in 2021 and expanded statewide in 2022. The program seeks to demystify the judicial appointment process by pairing lawyers and superior court judges with experienced appellate justices for guidance.

During the pilot, 20 mentees participated, and six ultimately applied to the Governor's office for consideration as an appellate court justice. The program’s first graduate, Justice Monique Langhorne Wilson, was appointed to the First Appellate District in 2024.

In addition to the appellate court program, the statewide effort includes a Trial Court Mentor Program that supports prospective superior court judges.

Resources
Learn more about how appellate court justices and superior court judges are selected:

Learn more about the judicial appointment process in this video from the Beverly Hills Bar Association, featuring Presiding Justice Helen Zukin of the Second Appellate District, Division Four and Luis Céspedes and Adam Hofmann from the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom: