FX has announced that they are renewing their high-rated Justified TV series for a fourth season. The cable channel has once again ordered 13 episodes.

There’s no word on when season four will air but the past three seasons have each kicked off in the early winter months. There are currently six installments left in Justified’s third season with the finale slated for April 10th.

Here’s the FX press release:

FX JUSTIFIED IN ORDERING FOURTH SEASON OF CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SERIES

Network Orders 13 Episodes for Fourth Season from FX Productions and Sony Pictures Television

Six All-New Episodes Remain in Season Three, Tuesdays at 10 PM ET/PT With Season Three Finale Airing April 10

Season Three (First-Run) Averaging 4.3 Million Total Viewers and 2.1 Million Adults 18-49 Marking Gains of +8% in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 vs. Season Two Average

LOS ANGELES, March 6, 2011 – FX has ordered 13 episodes for season four of its Emmy(R) Award-winning hit drama series Justified, announced Nick Grad, FX Executive Vice President of Original Programming. Six all new episodes remain in season three, airing Tuesdays at 10 PM ET/PT, with the third season finale airing April 10.

“Justified is one of television’s best series and this season has reinforced that excellence,” said Grad. “Graham Yost and his writing team continue to deliver compelling material and richly drawn characters brought to life by the brilliance of Timothy Olyphant and our terrific ensemble cast. Their work is validated by universal acclaim, awards, and ratings that have grown every year. We look forward to many more seasons to come.”

Developed for television by Graham Yost and starring Timothy Olyphant, Justified (TV-MA) is based on the popular Elmore Leonard character “Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens” from his short story Fire in the Hole and some of his other novels.

“There are many reasons all of us on Justified are grateful to get a chance to do another season,” said Yost. “We get to do more work with amazing actors, writers, producers, directors, musicians, editors and a jaw-droppingly talented crew. We get to keep doing a show that appeals to a wide demographic: people in Harlan, retired US Marshals, criminals (we honestly did hear that), and, most happily, our guide, our muse, Elmore Leonard. Best of all, we get to keep doing a show on FX (and while that may sound like craven ass-kissing, when you look at their roster, you can’t help but feel grateful to be on that list).”

“Graham’s modern day take on the western and masterful storytelling have helped bring the genre to the forefront,” said John Westphal, Senior Vice President, US. current programming, Sony Pictures Television. “The storytelling and performances brought to life by Tim Olyphant, Walton Goggins and the rest of the cast, continue to elevate the series season after season.”

Through seven weeks, first-run episodes of season 3 of Justified are averaging 4.3 million viewers (+8% vs. season 2) and 2.1 million Adults 18-49 (+8% vs. season 2). The weekly multi-run average viewership for the season 3 is 7.0 million total viewers and 3.4 million Adults 18-49.

Justified airs its eighth episode tonight, titled “Watching the Detectives” (10 PM ET/PT). A shocking murder forces Raylan to confront his past mistakes. Boyd grapples with Harlan’s corrupt sheriff.

The series co-stars Walton Goggins as Raylan’s old nemesis/friend “Boyd Crowder,” Nick Searcy as Givens longtime friend and boss “Chief Deputy Art Mullen,” Jacob Pitts as “Deputy Marshal Tim Gutterson,” Erica Tazel as “Deputy Marshal Rachel Brooks,” Joelle Carter as “Ava Crowder,” and Natalie Zea as Raylan’s ex-wife “Winona Hawkins.” After Margo Martindale won an Emmy Award for her guest-starring role in season two as the evil matriarch “Mags Bennett,” this season brings Neal McDonough as Detroit businessman “Robert Quarles” and Mykelti Williamson as the mysterious “Limehouse” to face off against Raylan Givens.

Yost wrote the pilot and serves as Executive Producer/Writer on the series. Leonard is an Executive Producer on the series along with Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, Michael Dinner and Fred Golan, and Olyphant is a Producer. Justified is produced by FX Productions and Sony Pictures Television.

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 98 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning hit dramas series including Sons of Anarchy, Justified and American Horror Story, and acclaimed hit comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Louie, Archer and Wilfred. Its library of acquired box-office hit movies is unmatched by any ad-supported television network. The network’s other offerings include the acquired hit series Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother, and live sports with college football and the UFC. For more information about FX, visit our web site at www.FXnetworks.com.

SOURCE: The Nielsen Company, NHI (Live+7)

What do you think? Are you glad that Justified has been renewed for season four? How long do you think the show should reasonably continue?

Image courtesy FX.