Judicial merit selection is a way of choosing judges through appointment, using a nonpartisan nine-member commission of lawyers and non-lawyers to locate, recruit, investigate, and evaluate applicants for judicial office. These Judicial Nominating Commissions (JNCs) then submit three to six names of the most highly qualified applicants to the Governor, who must make a final selection from the list.
Each Judicial Nominating Commission has nine members. Five members are appointed directly by the Governor, and the Bar sends nominations to the Governor to fill the remaining four spots.