States with Fixed Terms and/or Age Limits for Supreme Court Justices

Of the 50 states, only Rhode Island gives its justices life tenure.

Table with 4 columns and 29 rows.
AlabamaArkansasMassachusettsRhode Island
AlaskaCaliforniaNew HampshireUS Supreme Court
ArizonaDelaware
ColoradoGeorgia
ConnecticutIdaho
FloridaIllinois
HawaiiKentucky
IndianaMaine
IowaMississippi
KansasMontana
LouisianaNebraska
MarylandNevada
MichiganNew Mexico
MinnesotaNorth Dakota
MissouriOklahoma
New Jersey*Tennessee
New YorkWest Virginia
North CarolinaWisconsin
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Wyoming
*New Jersey justices serve an initial 7-year term. If reappointed for a second term, they can continue to serve until age 70.
Graphic by BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE