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California Supreme Court
The highest court in California. Who sits on it, how they got there and how long their terms run.
Direct gubernatorial appointmentHow justices are chosenThe governor appoints justices without a required nominating commission; in some states another body must confirm the choice.
12 yearsTerm length
6 of 7Sitting justices1 seat(s) vacant or not yet listed.
1849Founded
No public decision data available for this court. There is no free, consistently coded source of how each state justice votes in cases, so this site doesn't score state judges.
Justices
Patricia Guerrero
Chief Justice
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: January 2, 2023
Appointed by Gavin Newsom (D)
Photo: Ballotpedia
Carol Corrigan
Justice
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: 2006
Appointed by Arnold Schwarzenegger (R)
Photo: Ballotpedia
Kelli M. Evans
Justice
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: January 2, 2023
Appointed by Gavin Newsom (D)
Photo: Ballotpedia
Joshua Groban
Justice
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: December 21, 2018
Appointed by Jerry Brown (D)
Photo: Ballotpedia
Leondra Kruger
Justice
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: 2015
Appointed by Jerry Brown (D)
Photo: Ballotpedia
Goodwin Liu
Justice
Party as listed: Nonpartisan
Took office: September 1, 2011
Appointed by Jerry Brown (D)
Photo: Ballotpedia
Vacant
Vacant seat
Seat currently vacant, per Ballotpedia
Source: Ballotpedia, California Supreme Court (retrieved Oct 26, 2026). “Party as listed” is Ballotpedia’s label; many state justices are officially nonpartisan. Photos from each justice’s Ballotpedia page (or Wikimedia Commons where Ballotpedia has none). Click a name for a short profile.