Political Science

Texas Supreme Court s composed of elected judges who run for a term of six years. Statewide partisan election are held to select the most qualified judges who sit in the two highest courts and other subordinate courts that hold election after every four years. Contrary, the United States Supreme Court is composed of Presidential nominated judges who have to be approved by the senate. Unlike the Texas Judges who sit for six years the Supreme Court of the United States is guided by life tenure with only retirement, death resignation and conviction on impeachment on the side of Judges can remove them from their office.

The Texas law allows the State governor to appoint a Justice in case of a seat falling vacant either by death or resign. The appointee is to serve for the remainder of the term with expected Senate approval.  Popular vote is assumed to select the Texas Supreme Chief Justice leads a team of eight Justices just like the US Supreme Court. After the elapse of the six years term, all incumbent Justices can comfortably ask for re-election along with other new candidates (AJS 2007). Whereas the appointment to the US Supreme Court is for life and there have been witnessed rare occurrences of a Judges reassigning but in case it happens the US sitting President appoints a new judge who has to be approved by the senate. A retiring US Supreme Judge will have no option of taking any steps to retain the seat the law allows only the a specific years of service and for  judges impeached and positively convicted their place in the US Supreme service is nullified.   
In conclusion, the main difference between the US Supreme Court operation and the Texas Supreme Court is in their mode of selecting justices whereby the President is the ultimate winner in the US Supreme Court while Texas citizens have a voice in selecting their own judges in all their courts. In general, both of the Supreme courts have nine justices and satisfy their judicial assignment in accordance with the law.   

1. What happens when a member of the U.S. Supreme Court resigns What are the steps for filling that vacancy 2. What happens when a member of the Texas Supreme Court resigns What are the steps for filling that vacancy 3. For how long will the U.S. Supreme Court justice serve Must he or she take any steps to retain the seat 4. For how long will the Texas Supreme Court justice serve Must he or she take any steps to retain the seat