the court comprises 15 seats. when the original fifteen judges were elected in 1946, they drew lots to determine which five would have 3-year initial terms, which five would have 6-year initial terms, and which five would have 9-year initial terms. from then onwards, all terms have been nine years, with five seats being up for election every three years. the seats are numbered according to the length of the initial term and then in order of seniority of the first judge to hold the seat.