State Lawmakers Roll Out Proposals For Judicial Appointment System

State courts are the workhorses of our judiciary. Nationwide, approximately ninety-five percent of all cases are initiated in state courts¹. That percentage is even higher in North Carolina,² which is why the discussion of judicial reform in our state is so important.

During the recent special legislative session, senate members of the Joint Select Committee on Judicial Reform and Redistricting rolled out four proposed plans to change how North Carolina selects its judges. Each would replace our current system of judicial elections with a process by which judges are appointed. Lawmakers have not established a time frame for any proposed reform, but all four plans would ultimately require a statewide referendum and constitutional amendment. The following is a primer on the appointment scheme in each plan: