any ruling of any lower court. Once the court has reached a decision, one justice is selected to write the court's opinion. Once published, the opinion becomes the controlling factor in the state's law surrounding the issue(s) it addresses. This is known as stare decisis. The justices select from among their members a chief justice and vice chief justice to serve a two-year term. The Chief Justice of Oklahoma is responsible for the administration of the courts in the Oklahoma Judiciary and establishes rules for the courts to follow. The chief justice also oversees practicing attorneys in the state. Appellate and district courts The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals consists of a presiding judge and four judges who are appointed by the governor from a list of three judges submitted by the Judicial Nomination Commission. Justices are also ratified by the electorate at the next general election following their appointment and at the end of each six-year term. Justices serve until they resign or fail to be retained in office. The Supreme Court's decisions are binding on lower state courts. Unlike most states, Oklahoma has two courts of last resort. The Supreme Court determines issues of a civil nature, and the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals decides criminal matters. Unlike the Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeal has mandatory review jurisdiction whenever a sentence from a lower court involved the death sentence. Court of Appeal justices is selected, confirmed, and ratified in the same manner as the justices of the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The state created the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals because the Oklahoma Supreme Court had neither the time nor resources to hear every case brought before it. When a case is brought before the state supreme court, the justices can choose to send the case to one of the four divisions of the Court of Civil Appeals, two located in Tulsa and two in Oklahoma City. Each division of the court has three judges, appointed for life, but must stand for election every six years to retain their positions. Two of the three judges may choose to reaffirm, modify, or overturn any ruling of any lower court. However, if the Oklahoma Supreme Court disapproves of the court's ruling, it may review the decision and change it as the court deems necessary. Each of Oklahoma's 77 counties has its own district court. The district courts have general