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Virginia judicial elections
Judges in Virginia do not participate in popular elections, but instead are chosen by the legislative election of judges. This is the only state where all levels of the court are selected by the Virginia Legislature. Most judges in South Carolina are also chosen via legislative appointment.
In these legislative elections, Supreme Court judges are elected to 12 year terms, while Court of Appeals and Circuit Court judges to eight-year terms.
Virginia is one of seven states without judicial elections. There are also six states with judicial retention elections, 23 states that have nonpartisan or partisan judicial elections, and 14 states with partisan or nonpartisan judicial elections and retention elections.
See also
Footnotes
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Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia
State courts:
Virginia Supreme Court • Virginia Court of Appeals • Virginia Circuit Courts • Virginia District Courts • Virginia Magistrates
State resources:
Courts in Virginia • Virginia judicial elections • Judicial selection in Virginia
