The Missouri Supreme Court consists of seven judges. This number has been set since 1890, when the court expanded from five to seven judges, which remains the current standard
. Only the Chief Justice is referred to as a "justice," while the other six members are called "judges"
. The judges are appointed through the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan, where the governor selects a nominee from a list provided by a judicial commission. After serving at least one year, judges must stand for a retention election for a 12-year term
. In summary:
- Total judges on the Missouri Supreme Court: 7
- One is the Chief Justice (called "justice"), others are "judges"
- Judges serve 12-year terms after appointment and retention election
- Number has been seven since 1890