How much do you know about the state’s constitution and courts?

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You may know when the US Constitution was drafted or how many amendments (27!) it has. And you may know how many justices are sitting on the U.S. Supreme Court and how they got the job. But what about your own state constitution and the Supreme Court? There is an attractive diversity between the courts and the constitution of 50 states. Here’s an opportunity to dig deeper into these and learn more:

50 states, 50 constitutions, 50+ high courts.

Every state has a constitution. (Some of them are territory and Tribal Country. ) but Less than half Americans don’t know that their nation has its own constitution.

The national constitution knows that few Americans know that state constitutions often go beyond federal constitutions to protect individual rights on issues such as environmental quality, gender equality, and economic freedom.

Each state also has a high court called the Supreme Court, but not always. The High Court has a final word on the issue of the state constitution.

In Oklahoma and Texas, there are additional wrinkles. They each have two high courts. One is dedicated to civil litigation and the other is dedicated to criminal matters.

Most of the state’s high court justice is men.

As of May 2024, 57% of the state Supreme Court’s justice It was a man. in In five states, only one woman is sitting on a Supreme Court bench. Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakotaand South Carolina . Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, Six of the seven justices There is a woman on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. This is the highest percentage of women in the State High Court.

There is no justice identified in 19 states as people of color, including 13 states, which make up at least 20% of people of color. 38% of justice sitting are former prosecutors, and only 9% are former public advocates.

Nearly two of the three states have rewritten their constitution at least once.

In American history, there was only one constitutional treaty held in Philadelphia in 1787 for four months. In contrast, almost two-thirds of the state have rewritten the constitution at least once. John Dinnana professor at Wake Forest University. Seventeen people have adopted the new constitution more than three times. Trends of Adopting a new state constitution tends to create waves – In the 18 years from 1964 to 1982, 10 states adopted the new constitution. Since then, only Georgia, Rhode Island and Alabama have done so.

In states that still use the original constitution, Massachusetts is the oldest. It was adopted in 1780 and is from the world The oldest functional written constitution.

On average, state constitutions are more than nine times longer than the US constitution.

All state constitutions are longer than the US constitution. It consists of 4,543 words. Alabama has the longest constitution with around 373,000 words Longer largely Stephen King’s novel. (only stand and that According to Dinan, the Texas constitution is runner-up, with 92,345 words running.

Why such redundancy? State constitutions tend to be much more detailed about everyday life, delving into areas where the US Constitution is either concise or even silent. For example, New Mexico Constitutional Law Dedicate the entire section to irrigation and water rights. This is not atypical in water-hungry Western states. In contrast, the US Constitution only mentions water once, when Congress’ powers “establish rules regarding land and water capture.”

The median amendment to the state’s constitution is 124, 27, almost five times the US constitution.

The process of revising The US Constitution is difficult. It starts with a Congress or a constitutional treaty proposing an amendment, which must be ratified by at least three-quarters of the states. Amendments to the state’s constitution tend to be simpler, with voters having a direct impact on the ballot box.

In all states, legislatures may propose amendments. Except for Delaware, these are Placed on the vote for voter approval. in 17 statesvoters can collect signatures in favour of measures in accordance with state regulations and make amendments directly to the vote after meeting other requirements. According to Dinan, the California constitution has the most amended, with 542 as of January 1, 2025. In 2024, state lawmakers and voters approved a total of 75 amendments to the state constitutions of 49 states. The only state without new revisions was Ohio.

State constitutional scholar John Dinnan Make a claim The ease of amending the national constitution has become an engine for social change on issues ranging from religious freedom to the right to lay weapons. The fix can also reflect the unique way in which different states approach the problem. Maine, for example, became its first state in 2021. Approve Constitutional amendments to states that guarantee the right to grow, produce and consume food for “nutrition, nutrition, physical health and happiness.” The supporters said so Help me fight hunger In the state.

In more than half of the state, voters choose a high court judge.

The state constitution dictates how a judge in the state’s Supreme Court is chosen. Over half – 38 – Elections are used as part of State Judgment Choice. Most judicial elections are nonpartisan elections where no candidates are executed in party affiliations.

However, eight states host Supreme Court elections in Alabama, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and New Mexico using hybrid systems. There, the judges are first appointed by the governor, then compete against the partisan race in the next general election.

In 26 states (many of which use elections when judges seek additional conditions) and Washington, D.C., governors usually appoint justice to the state high courts with the support of the nomination committee. In Virginia and South Carolina, Congress chooses justice for the state Supreme Court.

Four states, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi, are Supreme Court judges. is selected from Specific geographical districts or judicial circuits within these states.

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The national constitution is part of the distortions and weaves of our country’s democracy. Please visit your Status page Above State Court Report To find the text of your state’s constitution. You may be surprised to find what it contains – and are inspired by what shape it will take in the future.

Nancy Whattsman is a consultant I work with. State court report.

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