The Appointment & Retainment Processes

In November of 1940, Missouri voters voted to amend the Missouri Constitution, revising the process in which judges were appointed. This included the adoption of The Nonpartisan Court Plan, also known as The Missouri Plan.

The purpose of The Missouri Plan plan was to mitigate the problem of political jurisprudence among judicial rulings. To achieve this goal, a nonpartisan judicial commission was established. This group is made up of citizens selected by the governor, lawyers, and the chief justice. This nonpartisan commission aims to select judges not by political affiliation, but by strictly merits. Since this plan was implemented, 30 different states have adopted the Missouri Plan.

At least one year after being appointed, citizens vote at general elections on whether or not judges shall retain their positions. A majority vote is the deciding factor on how long a judge serves on the Supreme Court.