Justices
Current Members
John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States
Education and Early Legal Career
Roberts graduated with a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Harvard Law School in 1979. He clerked for U.S Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Judge Henry Friendly and Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist from 1979 to 1981. He served in the Reagan administration from 1981 to 1986 before entering private practice. Roberts argued 39 cases before the Supreme Court while working at Hogan & Hartson between 1982 to 2003. From 1989 to 1993 Roberts breifly left Hogan & Hartson to work as principal deputy solicitor general in the George H. W. Bush administration.
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (June 2, 2003 - September 29, 2005)
President George W. Bush nominated Roberts to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1992 and 2001, the Senate did not vote on these nominatinos. President Bush resubmitted Robert's nimination on January 7, 2003. He was confirmed on May 8, 2003 and received his commission on June 2, 2003.
17th Chief Justice of the United States (September 29, 2005 - present)
John G. Roberts, Jr. was nominated for the role of Cheief Justice by George W. Bush on September 3, 2005. He had originaly been nominated as the replacement for Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor who announded her retirement on July 1, 2005 but when Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist died on September 3, 2005 the president withdraw Roberts' nomination as associate justice and instead nominated him for the role of chief justice. Roberts took the Constitutional oath of office on September 29, 2005 and the judicial oath on October 3 before the first oral argument of the term.
Roberts has written the mojority opinion in 96 cases while searving as chief justice including:
- Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1
- Shelby County v. Holder
- National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius
More info: Oyez | Wikipedia | Cases Argued
Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice
Education and Early Legal Career
Clarence Thomas graduated with a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Yale Law School in 1974. After graduation, Thomas worked under Missouri State Attorney General John Danforth as an Assistant Attorney General until Danforth was elected to the Senate in 1976. Thomas became an attorney for Monsanto Chemical Company until moving to Washington D.C. to work for Danforth agin. Thomas joined the Reagan administration and served as Assistant Secretary of Education for the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education from 1981 to 1982 and was Chairman of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1982 to 1990.
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (March 12, 1990 - October 23, 1991)
President George H. W. Bush nominated Thomas for a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on October 30, 1989. The senate confirmed Thomas ion March 6, 1990.
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (October 23, 1991 - present)
On July 1, 1991, President George H. W. Bush nominated Thomas to replace retiring justice Thurgood Marshall. Thomas' confirmation hearing began on September 10, 1991 and was confirmed on October 15, 1991. Thomas is known for rarely speaking during oral arguments. Thomas asked his first question from the beanch on February 22, 2006 and did not ask anothor question for ten years.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice
Education and Early Legal Career
Ruth Bader Ginsburg graduated with a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Columbia Law School in 1959. She tied for first in her class. After being rejected for clerkship positions because of her gender, Ginsburn begain her clerkship for Judge Edmund L. Palmieri of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York after dean of Columbia Law Professor Gerald Gunther threatened to never recommend another Columbia student if he did not hire Ginsburg.
Ginsburg was a research associate, and later associate director, at the Columbia Law School Project on International Procedure from 1961 to 1963. She was a professor at Rutgers School of Law from 1963 to 1972 and Columbia from 1972 to 1980. Begining in 1972, Ginsburg co-founded the Women's Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union and later became the ACLU's general counsel. During this time she argued six cases before the Supreme Court.
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (June 19, 1980 - August 9, 1993)
On April 14, 1980, President Jimmy Carter nominated Ginsburg for a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 18, 1980.
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (August 10, 1993 - present)
On June 14, 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated Ginsburg as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. During her subsequent testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee as part of the confirmation hearings, she refused to answer questions about her view on the constitutionality of some issues that she might have to vote on if it came before the court. This practice became know as the "Ginsburg precedent" and has been followed by nominanees after her.
Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice
Education and Early Legal Career
United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (December 10, 1980 - August 2, 1994)
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (August 3, 1994 - present)
Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Associate Justice
Education and Early Legal Career
United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey (December 28, 1987 - April 30, 1990)
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (April 30, 1990 - January 31, 2006)
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (January 31, 2006 - present)
Alito's majority opinions in landmark cases include McDonald v. Chicago and Burwell v. Hobby Lobby.
Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice
Education and Early Legal Career
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (August 12, 1992 - October 7, 1998)
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (October 7, 1998 - August 6, 2009)
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (August 6, 2009 - present)
Elena Kagan, Associate Justice
Education and Early Legal Career
11th Dean of Harvard Law School (July 1, 2003 - March 19, 2009)
45th Solicitor General of the United States (March 19, 2009 - May 17, 2010)
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (April 8, 2017 - present)
Neil M. Gorsuch, Associate Justice
Education and Early Legal Career
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (August 8, 2006 - April 9, 2017)
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (April 8, 2017 - present)
Brett Kavanaugh, Associate Justice
Education and Early Legal Career
White House Staff Secretary (June 6, 2003 - May 30, 2006)
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (May 30, 2006 - October 6, 2018)
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (October 6, 2018 - present)
Anthony M. Kennedy, Retired Associate Justice
Education and Early Legal Career
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (May 30, 1975 - February 18, 1988)
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (February 18, 1988 - July 31, 2018)
Sandra Day O'Connor, Retired Associate Justice
Education and Early Legal Career
Arizona Senate (October 30, 1969 - January 13, 1975)
Maricopa County Superior Court for Division 31 (January 1975 - December 1979)
Arizona Court of Appeals for Division One (December 1979 - September 25, 1981)
23rd Chancellor of the College of William and Mary (October 4, 2005 - February 3, 2012)
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (September 25, 1981 - January 31, 2006)
David H. Souter, Retired Associate Justice
Education and Early Legal Career
Attorney General of New Hampshire (1976 - 1978)
Associate Justice of the New Hampshire Superior Court (1978 - 1990)
United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (May 25, 1990 - October 9, 1990)
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (October 3, 1990 - June 29, 2009)
