History of the Supreme Court
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The Supreme Court of the United States was established under Article III of the Constitution of the United States. Though Article III provided for the creation of one Supreme Court and inferior Courts, the Judiciary Act of 1789 created the structure of the court system.[1] On September 24, 1789, the Act was signed into law by President George Washington. That same day, he nominated John Jay to serve as the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.[2][3][4]
The size, jurisdiction, location, and recognized authority of the Supreme Court have changed over the years. The only thing that has remained constant is the selection of its justices. Both the Chief Justice and Associate Justices are nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. Once justices are confirmed, they are appointed for life and are only removed from office by death, retirement or impeachment.
Inaugural session
The Supreme Court was scheduled to convene for the first time on February 1, 1790 in the Royal Exchange Building in New York City.[4] However, only three justices were present, so a quorum was not met. The next day, John Blair was present and the Court officially came to order.[5]
Mitglieder
In addition to nominating Chief Justice Jay, on September 24, 1789, President Washington also nominated five Associate Justices: John Rutledge, William Cushing, John Blair, James Wilson and Robert Harrison. All five were confirmed by the Senate, though Harrison declined the nomination for health reasons.[6] In his place, Washington nominated James Iredell.
Jurisdiction
Article III of the United States Constitution outlines the jurisdiction of the federal courts of the United States:[7]
" | The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party; to Controversies between two or more States; between a State and Citizens of another State; between Citizens of different States; between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.[8] | ” |
1789
Article III did not define the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, but instead granted Congress the power to define the specific jurisdiction of the Court. As defined by the Judiciary Act of 1789, the Supreme Court court reviews:
- By writ of error, judgments in civil actions of the circuit courts if the amount in question was more than $2,000.
- State court decisions when federal authority was challenged.
- Any case where a right, law or treaty of the United States was denied.[9]
The Court's original jurisdiction is narrowly focused, as defined in Article III, Section 2:[7]
" | In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the Supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction.[8] | ” |
The Court's appellate jurisdiction encompasses all cases within the scope of Article III, but is subject to limitation by Act of Congress under the Exceptions Clause in Article III and by the discretion of the Court.[7]
Current jurisdiction
The Supreme Court holds both original and appellate jurisdiction, with its appellate jurisdiction accounting for most of the Court's caseload.
The federal courts may only entertain cases or controversies. Therefore, the Court avoids deciding cases that are moot and does not render advisory opinions. This exception is not absolute; if an issue is "capable of repetition yet evading review," the Court will address it even though the party before the Court would not himself be made whole by a favorable result.
Number of justices
History of the Supreme Court |
---|
Inaugural session |
Jurisdiction |
Number of justices |
Terms |
Eras |
List of all justices |
See also:
Supreme Court of the United States |
External links |
References |
Number of Justices | Set by | Ändern Sie |
---|---|---|
Chief Justice + 5 Associate Justices | Judiciary Act of 1789 | |
Chief Justice + 4 Associate Justices | Judiciary Act of 1801 (later repealed) | |
Chief Justice + 6 Associate Justices | Seventh Circuit Act of 1807 | |
Chief Justice + 8 Associate Justices | Eighth and Ninth Circuits Act of 1837 | |
Chief Justice + 9 Associate Justices | Tenth Circuit Act of 1863 | |
Chief Justice + 6 Associate Justices | Judicial Circuits Act of 1866 | |
Chief Justice + 8 Associate Justices | Judiciary Act of 1869 |
Politics and the number of seats
Judiciary Act of 1801
The Judiciary Act of 1801, also known as the Circuit Court Act and the Midnight Judges Act, was passed at the very end of President John Adams' administration and during the second session of the Sixth Congress. The Act became law on February 13, 1801 after passing first the House (on January 20th, 1801) and then the Senate (on February 7, 1801). Because of the timing of its passage, many of the judicial appointments became known as midnight judges (or midnight appointments). These appointments were challenged in the Supreme Court case Marbury et al. v. Madison (1803).
The Judiciary Act of 1801 created six distinct judicial circuits in order to increase the power of the judiciary. It also created three judgeships for the five circuits east of the Appalachian mountains. It abolished the practice of "riding circuit" for the Justices of the Supreme Court, since new judges presided over the courts.[10]
The first example of a political party attempting to shape the Court came with the Judiciary Act of 1801. After President Adams lost his bid for re-election in 1800, the Federalist-controlled Congress passed this Act, which reduced the number of Supreme Court justices by one with the next vacancy. The reduction of Supreme Court justices was intended to delay President Jefferson's chance to nominate someone to the court.[11]
Judicial Circuits Act of 1866
The only other time that the number of Supreme Court justices was reduced was with the Act of 1866. This Act can be viewed from two different perspectives. One, the passage of it eliminated three seats on the Supreme Court, nullifying the pending nomination of Henry Stanberry. Stanberry was the only justice nominated to the Court by President Andrew Johnson, who was impeached by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives two years later.[12] However, Johnson signed the legislation into law prior to his impeachment. According to the Federal Judicial Center, it was Chief Justice Salmon Chase who urged lawmakers to reduce the size of the Court in an attempt to increase the salaries of sitting justices.[12]
President Roosevelt's plan
One notable attempt to increase the number of Associate Justices came from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who proposed the Judiciary Reorganization Bill of 1937. In what was seen as a blatant attempt to fill the court with more justices favorable to New Deal legislation, Roosevelt proposed appointing a new justice for every sitting justice over the age of 70. This would have amounted to six new justices at the time. Later, the Reorganization Bill was passed without the additional justice provision.[13]
Terms
The original Court held two sessions per year, in February and August. The Judiciary Act of 1802 eliminated the separate sessions and instead dictated that there would be one session which started on the first Monday in February.[14]
In 1873, Congress changed the start of a new term to the second Monday in October. Forty-four years later, Congress moved the start of a new term to the first Monday in October to accommodate a growing docket.[15]
Until 1978, the Court had a formal recess in July and August, though it would reconvene for matters of national significance. Presently, the court recesses in June, but continues to work throughout the summer.[16]
Chief Justice eras
The Jay Court (1789-1795)
The Jay Court lasted from 1789 to 1795, during the presidency of George Washington. John Jay was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was nominated by President George Washington and served from September 26, 1789, to June 29, 1795.[17]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
09/26/1789 - 05/7/1791 | John Rutledge | George Washington |
09/29/1789 - 08/21/1798 | James Wilson | George Washington |
09/30/1789 - 10/25/1795 | John Blair | George Washington |
02/10/1790 - 10/20/1799 | James Iredell | George Washington |
09/27/1789 - 09/13/1810 | William Cushing | George Washington |
11/07/1791 - 01/16/1793 | Thomas Johnson | George Washington |
03/04/1793 - 09/09/1806 | William Paterson | George Washington |
For more on major cases of The Jay Court, click here.
The Rutledge Court (1795)
The Rutledge Court was the shortest Chief Justice era in United States history. John Rutledge served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States during 1795, starting with a nomination during the senatorial recess. The nomination was rejected when the Senate came back into session in December because Rutledge had previously condemned the Jay Treaty, saying it was too favorable to the British.[18][19]
According to The Supreme Court Historical Society, this nomination and subsequent rejection was the first time the Senate did not approve a notable nomination by a president.[18]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
09/29/1789 - 08/21/1798 | James Wilson | George Washington |
09/30/1789 - 10/25/1795 | John Blair | George Washington |
02/10/1790 - 10/20/1799 | James Iredell | George Washington |
09/27/1789 - 09/13/1810 | William Cushing | George Washington |
03/04/1793 - 09/09/1806 | William Paterson | George Washington |
For more on major cases of The Rutledge Court, click here.
The Ellsworth Court (1796-1800)
The Ellsworth Court marks one of shortest tenures of a Chief Justice in the history of the United States, lasting from March 1796 to September 1800. Oliver Ellsworth served during the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams.
Ellsworth was nominated as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court by President George Washington on March 3, 1796, and was confirmed by the Senate on March 4, 1796. He received commission on the same day.[2] In 1799, Ellsworth was sent to France to negotiate a treaty with Napoleon. During his travels, he informed President Adams of his resignation, effective December 15, 1800.[20][2]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
09/26/1789 - 03/05/1791 | John Rutledge | George Washington |
09/29/1789 - 08/21/1798 | James Wilson | George Washington |
02/10/1790 - 10/20/1799 | James Iredell | George Washington |
09/27/1789 - 09/13/1810 | William Cushing | George Washington |
03/04/1793 - 09/09/1806 | William Paterson | George Washington |
09/30/1789 - 06/19/1811 | Samuel Chase | George Washington |
12/20/1798 - 11/26/1829 | Bushrod Washington | John Adams |
12/10/1799 - 01/26/1804 | Alfred Moore | John Adams |
For more on major cases of The Ellsworth Court, click here.
The Marshall Court (1801-1835)
The Marshall Court lasted from 1801 to 1835, during the presidencies of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Jackson.
John Marshall was nominated as Chief Justice by President John Adams on January 20, 1801, to succeed Oliver Ellsworth. Marshall was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 27, 1801, and received commission on January 31, 1801. John Marshall's tenure as chief justice lasted for 34 years, the longest in American history for any chief justice. He presided over 1000 decisions and wrote over 500 opinions.[21][22] His service ended upon his death on July 6, 1835.[23]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
09/27/1789 - 09/13/1810 | William Cushing | George Washington |
03/04/1793 - 09/09/1806 | William Paterson | George Washington |
01/27/1796 - 06/19/1811 | Samuel Chase | George Washington |
12/20/1798 - 11/26/1829 | Bushrod Washington | John Adams |
12/10/1799 - 01/26/1804 | Alfred Moore | John Adams |
03/26/1804 - 08/04/1834 | William Johnson, Jr. | Thomas Jefferson |
01/16/1807 - 03/18/1823 | Henry Brockholst Livingston | Thomas Jefferson |
03/03/1807 - 02/07/1826 | Thomas Todd | Thomas Jefferson |
11/18/1811 - 01/12/1835 | Gabriel Duvall | James Madison |
11/18/1811 - 09/10/1845 | Joseph Story | James Madison |
12/09/1823 - 12/18/1843 | Smith Thompson | James Monroe |
05/09/1826 - 08/25/1828 | Robert Trimble (Supreme Court) | John Quincy Adams |
01/06/1830 - 04/21/1844 | Henry Baldwin | Andrew Jackson |
03/07/1829 - 04/04/1861 | John McLean | Andrew Jackson |
01/09/1835 - 07/05/1867 | James Moore Wayne | Andrew Jackson |
For more on major cases of The Marshall Court, click here.
The Taney Court (1836-1864)
The Taney Court lasted from March 1836 to October 1864, during the presidencies of Andrew Jackson (D), Martin Van Buren (D), William Henry Harrison (Whig), John Tyler (Whig), Zachary Taylor (Whig), Millard Fillmore (Whig), Franklin Pierce (D), James Buchanan, and Abraham Lincoln (R).
Roger Brooke Taney was nominated as the fifth Supreme Court Chief Justice by President Andrew Jackson (D) on December 28, 1835. Taney was later confirmed by the Senate and served from March 15, 1836, to October 12, 1864. Previously, he had been nominated as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1835, but that nomination was indefinitely postponed.[2]
Justices
For more on major cases of The Taney Court, click here.
The Chase Court (1864-1873)
The Chase Court lasted from December 1864 to May 1873, during the presidencies of Abraham Lincoln (R), |Andrew Johnson (D), and Ulysses S. Grant (R).
Salmon Portland Chase was nominated as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1864 by President Abraham Lincoln. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 6, 1864, and was commissioned on the same day. Chase was the sixth Chief Justice in the history of the Supreme Court. Chase served as Chief Justice until his death on May 7, 1873.[24]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
01/09/1835 - 07/05/1867 | James Moore Wayne | Andrew Jackson (D) |
03/08/1837 - 05/30/1865 | John Catron | Andrew Jackson (D) |
02/13/1845 - 11/28/1872 | Samuel Nelson | James Polk (D) |
08/04/1846 - 01/31/1870 | Robert Cooper Grier | James Polk (D) |
01/12/1858 - 07/25/1881 | Nathan Clifford | James Buchanan (D) |
07/16/1862 - 10/13/1890 | Samuel Freeman Miller | Abraham Lincoln (R) |
12/08/1862 - 03/04/1877 | David Davis | Abraham Lincoln (R) |
01/24/1862 - 01/24/1881 | Noah Haynes Swayne | Abraham Lincoln (R) |
03/10/1863 - 12/01/1897 | Stephen Johnson Field | Abraham Lincoln (R) |
02/18/1870 - 12/14/1880 | William Strong | Ulysses S. Grant (R) |
03/21/1870 - 01/22/1892 | Joseph Bradley | Ulysses S. Grant (R) |
12/11/1872 - 01/27/1882 | Ward Hunt | Ulysses S. Grant (R) |
For more on major cases of The Chase Court, click here.
The Waite Court (1874-1888)
The Waite Court lasted from January 1874 to March 1888, during the presidencies of Ulysses S. Grant (R), Rutherford B. Hayes (R), James Garfield (R), Chester A. Arthur (R), and Grover Cleveland (D).
Morrison Waite was nominated to become chief justice of the United States Supreme Court by President Ulysses S. Grant on January 19, 1874. He was confirmed by the Senate on January 21, 1874, and received his commission on the same day. He served until his death on March 23, 1888.[25]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
01/21/1858 - 07/25/1881 | Nathan Clifford | James Buchanan |
07/21/1862 - 10/13/1890 | Samuel Freeman Miller | Abraham Lincoln |
12/10/1862 - 03/04/1877 | David Davis | Abraham Lincoln |
01/27/1862 - 01/24/1881 | Noah Haynes Swayne | Abraham Lincoln |
05/20/1863 - 12/01/1897 | Stephen Johnson Field | Abraham Lincoln |
03/14/1870 - 12/14/1880 | William Strong | Ulysses S. Grant |
03/23/1870 - 01/22/1892 | Joseph Bradley | Ulysses S. Grant |
1/9/1873 - 01/27/1882 | Ward Hunt | Ulysses S. Grant |
12/10/1877 - 10/14/1911 | John Harlan I | Rutherford B. Hayes |
1/5/1881 - 05/14/1887 | William Burnham Woods | Rutherford B. Hayes |
05/17/1881 - 03/22/1889 | Stanley Matthews | James Garfield |
04/3/1882 - 07/07/1893 | Samuel Blatchford | Chester A. Arthur |
1/9/1882 - 09/15/1902 | Horace Gray | Chester A. Arthur |
01/18/1888 - 01/23/1893 | Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar | Grover Cleveland |
For more on major cases of The Waite Court, click here.
The Fuller Court (1888-1910)
The Fuller Court lasted from July 1888 to July 1910, during the presidencies of Grover Cleveland (D), Benjamin Harrison (R), William McKinley (R), Theodore Roosevelt (R), and William Howard Taft (R).
Melville Weston Fuller was nominated as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court by President Grover Cleveland on April 30, 1888. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 20, 1888, and was commissioned on the same day. Fuller was the eighth Chief Justice in the history of the Supreme Court. His judicial service ended on July 4, 1910, upon his death.[2][26][27]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
1862-1890 | Samuel Freeman Miller | Abraham Lincoln |
1863-1897 | Stephen Johnson Field | Abraham Lincoln |
1870-1892 | Joseph Bradley | Ulysses Grant |
1877-1889 | John Harlan I | Rutherford B. Hayes |
1881-1889 | Stanley Matthews | James Garfield |
1882-1893 | Samuel Blatchford | Chester Arthur |
1882-1902 | Horace Gray | Chester Arthur |
1888-1893 | Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar | Grover Cleveland |
1890-1910 | David Josiah Brewer | Benjamin Harrison |
1891-1906 | Henry Billings Brown (U.S. Supreme Court) | Benjamin Harrison |
1892-1903 | George Shiras | Benjamin Harrison |
1893-1895 | Howell Edmunds Jackson | Benjamin Harrison |
1896-1909 | Rufus Wheeler Peckham | Grover Cleveland |
1898-1925 | Joseph McKenna | William McKinley |
1902-1932 | Oliver Wendell Holmes | Theodore Roosevelt |
1903-1922 | William Rufus Day | Theodore Roosevelt |
1906-1910 | William Henry Moody | Theodore Roosevelt |
1910-1914 | Horace Harmon Lurton | William Howard Taft |
For more on major cases of The Fuller Court, click here.
The White Court (1910-1921)
The White Court lasted from December 1910 until May 1921, during the presidencies of William Howard Taft (R) and Woodrow Wilson (D).
Edward Douglass White was nominated as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States by President William H. Taft on December 12, 1910. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on the same day. White held the position of Chief Justice until his death on May 19, 1921. He had previously served as Associate Justice, a position he was nominated to by President Grover Cleveland in February 1894. [28]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
1877-1911 | John Harlan I | Rutherford B. Hayes |
1898-1925 | Joseph McKenna | William McKinley |
1902-1932 | Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. | Theodore Roosevelt |
1903-1922 | William Rufus Day | Theodore Roosevelt |
1910-1914 | Horace Harmon Lurton | William Howard Taft |
1911-1916 | Joseph Rucker Lamar | William Howard Taft |
1911-1937 | Willis Van Devanter | William Howard Taft |
1912-1922 | Mahlon Pitney | William Howard Taft |
1914-1941 | James Clark McReynolds | Woodrow Wilson |
1916-1922 | John Hessin Clarke | Woodrow Wilson |
1916-1939 | Louis Brandeis | Woodrow Wilson |
For more on major cases of The White Court, click here.
The Taft Court (1921-1930)
The Taft Court lasted from June 1921 until February 1930, during the presidencies of Warren Harding (R), Calvin Coolidge (R), and Herbert Hoover (R).
William Howard Taft was nominated by President Warren Harding (R) on June 30, 1921, to be chief justice of the court. He received his commission on June 30, 1921, and served until his resignation on February 3, 1930.[29]
Taft served as the head of two branches of government, as President of the United States from 1909 to 1913, and chief justice of the Supreme Court from 1921 to 1930.
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
1898-1925 | Joseph McKenna | William McKinley |
1902-1932 | Oliver Wendell Holmes | Theodore Roosevelt |
1903-1922 | William Rufus Day | Theodore Roosevelt |
1911-1937 | Willis Van Devanter | William Howard Taft |
1912-1922 | Mahlon Pitney | William Howard Taft |
1914-1941 | James Clark McReynolds | Woodrow Wilson |
1916-1922 | John Hessin Clarke | Woodrow Wilson |
1916-1939 | Louis Brandeis | Woodrow Wilson |
1922-1938 | George Sutherland | Warren Harding |
1923-1930 | Edward Terry Sanford | Warren Harding |
1923-1939 | Pierce Butler | Warren Harding |
1925-1941 | Harlan Fiske Stone | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1930-1945 | Owen Josephus Roberts | Herbert Hoover |
For more on major cases of The Taft Court, click here.
The Hughes Court (1930-1941)
The Hughes Court lasted from February 1930 until June 1941, during the presidencies of Herbert Hoover (R) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (D).
Charles E. Hughes was nominated as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court by President Hoover on February 3, 1930. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 13, 1930, and received her judicial commission on the same day. Hughes took over as Chief Justice after the death of former President and Chief Justice William H. Taft.[2][30] Hughes the eleventh Chief Justice in the history of the Supreme Court. On June 30, 1941, he stepped down from the position and assumed senior status.[31]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
1902-1932 | Oliver Wendell Holmes | Theodore Roosevelt |
1911-1937 | Willis Van Devanter | William Howard Taft |
1914-1941 | James Clark McReynolds | Woodrow Wilson |
1916-1939 | Louis Brandeis | Woodrow Wilson |
1922-1938 | George Sutherland | Warren Harding |
1923-1930 | Edward Terry Sanford | Warren Harding |
1923-1939 | Pierce Butler | Warren Harding |
1930-1945 | Owen Josephus Roberts | Herbert Hoover |
1932-1938 | Benjamin Nathan Cardozo | Herbert Hoover |
1937-1971 | Hugo Black | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1938-1957 | Stanley Reed | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1939-1962 | Felix Frankfurter | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1939-1975 | William Douglas | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1940-1949 | Frank Murphy | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1941-1942 | James Byrnes | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1941-1946 | Harlan Fiske Stone | Calvin Coolidge |
For more on major cases of The Huges Court, click here.
The Stone Court (1941-1946)
The Stone Court lasted from June 1941 until April 1946, during the presidencies of Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) and Harry Truman (D). Harlan Fiske Stone was nominated as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States by President Franklin Roosevelt on June 12, 1941.[30]
Stone previously served as an associate justice on the court, after a nomination from President Calvin Coolidge in February 1925. With this nomination, Stone was the first Supreme Court nominee to testify at a confirmation hearing.[32]
Stone served as the twelfth chief justice of the Supreme Court until his death on April 22, 1946.[33]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
1930-1945 | Owen Josephus Roberts | Herbert Hoover |
1937-1971 | Hugo Black | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1938-1957 | Stanley Reed | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1939-1962 | Felix Frankfurter | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1939-1975 | William Douglas | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1940-1949 | Frank Murphy | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1941-1942 | James Byrnes | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1941-1954 | Robert H. Jackson | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1943-1949 | Wiley Rutledge | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1945-1958 | Harold Burton | Harry Truman |
For more on major cases of The Stone Court, click here.
The Vinson Court (1946-1953)
The Vinson Court lasted from June 1946 until September 1953, during the presidencies of Harry Truman (D) and Dwight D. Eisenhower (R).
Frederick Vinson received his nomination for Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court from President Harry Truman on June 6, 1946, and was confirmed by the Senate on June 20, 1946. He received his commission on June 21, 1946, and served until his death on September 8, 1953.[34]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
1937-1971 | Hugo Black | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1938-1957 | Stanley Reed | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1939-1962 | Felix Frankfurter | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1939-1975 | William Douglas | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1940-1949 | Frank Murphy | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1941-1954 | Robert H. Jackson | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1943-1949 | Wiley Rutledge | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1945-1958 | Harold Burton | Harry Truman |
1949-1967 | Tom Clark | Harry Truman |
1949-1956 | Sherman Minton | Harry Truman |
For more on major cases of The Vinson Court, click here.
The Warren Court (1953-1969)
The Warren Court lasted from October 1953 until June 1969, during the presidencies of Dwight D. Eisenhower (R), John F. Kennedy (D), and Lyndon Johnson (D).
Earl Warren received a recess appointment for Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court from President Dwight D. Eisenhower on October 2, 1953. On January 11, 1954, Eisenhower nominated him to the same position. He was confirmed by the Senate on March 1, 1954, and received commission on March 20, 1954. Warren assumed senior status on June 23, 1969, and served until his death on July 9, 1974.[35]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
1937-1971 | Hugo Black | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1938-1957 | Stanley Reed | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1939-1962 | Felix Frankfurter | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1939-1975 | William Douglas | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1941-1954 | Robert H. Jackson | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1945-1958 | Harold Burton | Harry Truman |
1949-1956 | Sherman Minton | Harry Truman |
1949-1967 | Tom Clark | Harry Truman |
1955-1971 | John Harlan II | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
1956-1990 | William Brennan | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
1957-1962 | Charles Whittaker | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
1958-1981 | Potter Stewart | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
1962-1965 | Arthur Goldberg | John F. Kennedy |
1962-1993 | Byron White | John F. Kennedy |
1965-1969 | Abe Fortas | Lyndon B. Johnson |
1967-1991 | Thurgood Marshall | Lyndon B. Johnson |
For more on major cases of The Warren Court, click here.
The Burger Court (1969-1986)
The Burger Court lasted from June 1969 to September 1986, during the presidencies of Richard M. Nixon (R), Gerald Ford (R), Jimmy Carter (D), and Ronald Reagan (R).
Warren Burger was nominated as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court by President Nixon on May 23, 1969. Burger was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 9, 1969, and was commissioned on June 23, 1969. Burger was the fifteenth Chief Justice in the history of the Supreme Court. He stepped down as Chief Justice on September 26, 1986, when he assumed senior status.[2][30][36]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
1937-1971 | Hugo Black | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1939-1975 | William Douglas | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
1955-1971 | John Harlan II | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
1956-1990 | William Brennan | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
1958-1981 | Potter Stewart | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
1962-1993 | Byron White | John F. Kennedy |
1967-1991 | Thurgood Marshall | Lyndon B. Johnson |
1970-1994 | Harry Blackmun | Richard M. Nixon |
1972-1987 | Lewis Powell | Richard M. Nixon |
1972-1986 | William Rehnquist | Richard M. Nixon |
1975-2010 | John Paul Stevens | Gerald Ford |
1981-2006 | Sandra Day O'Connor | Ronald Reagan |
For more on major cases of The Burger Court, click here.
The Rehnquist Court (1986-2005)
The Rehnquist Court lasted from 1986 to 2005, during the presidencies of Ronald Reagan (R), George H.W. Bush (R), Bill Clinton (D), and George W. Bush (R).
Rehnquist was nominated as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States by President Ronald Reagan on June 20, 1986.
Rehnquist originally served as an associate justice on the court, after a nomination from President Richard Nixon on October 21, 1971. He was succeeded in this position by Justice Antonin Scalia.[30]
Rehnquist served as the sixteenth chief justice of the Supreme Court until his death on September 3, 2005.[37]
Justices
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
1956-1990 | William Brennan | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
1962-1993 | Byron White | John F. Kennedy |
1967-1991 | Thurgood Marshall | Lyndon B. Johnson |
1970-1994 | Harry Blackmun | Richard M. Nixon |
1972-1987 | Lewis Powell | Richard M. Nixon |
1975-2010 | John Paul Stevens | Gerald Ford |
1981-2006 | Sandra Day O'Connor | Ronald Reagan |
1986-2016 | Antonin Scalia | Ronald Reagan |
1988-2018 | Anthony Kennedy | Ronald Reagan |
1990-2009 | David Souter | George H.W. Bush |
1991-Present | Clarence Thomas | George H.W. Bush |
1993-2020 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Bill Clinton |
1994-2022 | Stephen Breyer | Bill Clinton |
For more on major cases of The Rehnquist Court, click here.
The Roberts Court (2005-present)
The Justices in this table have served during the Roberts Court.
Tenure | Justice | Nominated By |
---|---|---|
1975-2010 | John Paul Stevens | Gerald Ford (R) |
1981-2006 | Sandra Day O'Connor | Ronald Reagan (R) |
1986-2016 | Antonin Scalia | Ronald Reagan (R) |
1988-2018 | Anthony Kennedy | Ronald Reagan (R) |
1990-2009 | David Souter | George H.W. Bush (R) |
1993-2020 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Bill Clinton (D) |
1991-Present | Clarence Thomas | George H.W. Bush (R) |
1994-2022 | Stephen Breyer | Bill Clinton (D) |
2006-Present | Samuel Alito | George W. Bush (R) |
2009-Present | Sonia Sotomayor | Barack Obama (D) |
2010-Present | Elena Kagan | Barack Obama (D) |
2017-Present | Neil Gorsuch | Donald Trump (R) |
2018-Present | Brett Kavanaugh | Donald Trump (R) |
2020-Present | Amy Coney Barrett | Donald Trump (R) |
2022-Present | Ketanji Brown Jackson | Joe Biden (D) |
Legacy
Chief Justice Roberts is considered a judicial conservative. Since joining the court, he often sided with Justice Scalia and continues to align with Justice Thomas and Alito, the two most conservative justices. Some argue Roberts is a judicial minimalist, approaching cases carefully with an eye to precedent, while judging narrowly so as to preserve the continuity of judicial opinion. During his Senate confirmation hearings, Chief Justice Roberts claimed his role was similar to that of an umpire. He said, "Judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around. Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them. The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules. But it is a limited role. Nobody ever went to a ball game to see the umpire."[38][39]
More info
For more on this era, see The Roberts Court.
List of all Supreme Court justices
Supreme Court justice | Term dates |
---|---|
Former Justice Abe Fortas | August 11, 1965 - May 14, 1969 |
Former Justice Alfred Moore (U.S. Supreme Court) | December 10, 1799 - January 26, 1804 |
Former associate justice Anthony Kennedy | February 17, 1988 - July 31, 2018 |
Former associate justice Antonin Scalia | September 26, 1986 - February 13, 2016 |
Former Justice Arthur Goldberg | September 28, 1962 - July 26, 1965 |
Former Justice Benjamin Cardozo | March 2, 1932 - July 9, 1938 |
Former Justice Benjamin Robbins Curtis | December 20, 1851 - September 30, 1857 |
Associate justice Brett Kavanaugh | October 6, 2018 - Present |
Former Justice Bushrod Washington | December 20, 1798 - November 26, 1829 |
Former Justice Byron White | 1962 - 1993 |
Former Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes | February 13, 1930 - June 30, 1941 |
Former Justice Charles Whittaker | March 22, 1957 - March 31, 1962 |
Associate justice Clarence Thomas (Supreme Court) | July 1, 1991 - Present |
Former Justice David Davis (U.S. Supreme Court) | October 17, 1862 - March 4, 1877 |
Former Justice David Josiah Brewer | March 31, 1884 - January 6, 1890 |
Former Justice David Souter | October 3, 1990 - June 30, 2009 |
Former Chief Justice Earl Warren | March 20, 1954 - June 23, 1969 |
Former Chief Justice Edward Douglass White | December 12, 1910 - May 19, 1921 |
Former Justice Edward Terry Sanford | January 29, 1923 - March 8, 1930 |
Associate justice Elena Kagan | August 7, 2010 - Present |
Former Justice Felix Frankfurter | January 20, 1939 - August 28, 1962 |
Former Justice Frank Murphy | January 16, 1940 - July 19, 1949 |
Former Chief Justice Frederick Vinson | June 21, 1946 - September 8, 1953 |
Former Justice Gabriel Duvall | November 18, 1811 - January 12, 1835 |
Former Justice George Shiras | July 26 1892 - February 23, 1903 |
Former Justice George Sutherland | 1922 - 1938 |
Former Chief Justice Harlan Fiske Stone | July 3, 1941 - April 22, 1946 |
Former Justice Harold Burton | 1945 - 1964 |
Former Justice Harry Blackmun | May 14, 1970 - August 3, 1994 |
Former Justice Henry Baldwin | January 6, 1830 - April 21, 1844 |
Former Justice Henry Billings Brown (U.S. Supreme Court) | December 29, 1890 - May 28, 1906 |
Former Justice Henry Brockholst Livingston | January 16, 1807 - March 18, 1823 |
Former Justice Horace Gray | December 20, 1881 - September 15, 1902 |
Former Justice Horace Harmon Lurton | 12 20, 1909 - July 12, 1914 |
Former Justice Howell Edmunds Jackson | February 18, 1893 - August 8, 1895 |
Former Justice Hugo Black | August 18, 1937 - September 17, 1971 |
Former Justice James Byrnes | June 25, 1941 - October 3, 1942 |
Former Justice James Clark McReynolds | August 29, 1914 - January 31, 1941 |
Former Justice James Iredell | February 10, 1790 - October 20, 1799 |
Former justice James Moore Wayne | January 9, 1835 - July 5, 1867 |
Former Justice James Wilson (U.S. Supreme Court) | September 29, 1789 - August 21, 1798 |
Former Justice John Archibald Campbell | March 22, 1853 - April 30, 1861 |
Former Justice John Blair (Supreme Court) | September 30, 1789 - October 25, 1795 |
Former Justice John Catron | March 8, 1837 - May 30, 1865 |
Former Justice John Harlan I | November 29, 1877 - October 14, 1911 |
Former Judge John Harlan II | March 27, 1955 - September 23, 1971 |
Former Judge John Hessin Clarke | July 24, 1916 - September 18, 1922 |
Former Chief Justice John Jay | October 19, 1789 - June 29, 1795 |
Former Chief Justice John Marshall (Supreme Court) | January 31 1801 - July 6, 1835 |
Former Justice John McKinley | April 22, 1837 - July 19, 1852 |
Former Justice John McLean | March 7, 1829 - April 4, 1861 |
Former Justice John Paul Stevens | Decmeber 17, 1975 - June 30, 2010 |
Chief justice John Roberts (Supreme Court) | September 29, 2005 - Present |
Former Judge John Rutledge (Supreme Court) | September 26, 1789 - March 5, 1791, July 1, 1795 - December 28, 1795 |
Former Justice Joseph Bradley | March 21, 1870 - January 22, 1892 |
Former Justice Joseph McKenna (Supreme Court) | January 21, 1897 - January 5, 1925 |
Former Justice Joseph Rucker Lamar | December 17, 1910 - January 2, 1916 |
Former Justice Joseph Story | November 18, 1811 - September 10, 1845 |
Former Justice Levi Woodbury | January 3, 1846 - September, 4, 1851 |
Former Justice Lewis Powell | December 9, 1971 - June 26, 1987 |
Former Justice Louis Brandeis | June 1, 1916 - February 13, 1939 |
Former judge Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar | January 16, 1888 - January 23, 1893 |
Former Justice Mahlon Pitney | February 19, 1912 - December 31, 1922 |
Former Chief Justice Melville Weston Fuller | July 20, 1888 - July 4, 1910 |
Former Chief Justice Morrison Waite | January 21, 1874 - March 23, 1888 |
Former Justice Nathan Clifford | January 12, 1858 - July 25, 1881 |
Associate justice Neil Gorsuch | April 10, 2017 - Present |
Former Justice Noah Haynes Swayne | January 24, 1862 - January 24, 1881 |
Former Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth | March 4, 1796 - September 30, 1800 |
Former Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes | December 4, 1902 - January 12, 1932 |
Former Justice Owen Roberts | May 20, 1930 - July 31, 1945 |
Former Justice Peter Vivian Daniel | March 3, 1841 - May 31, 1860 |
Former Justice Philip Pendelton Barbour | March 15, 1836 - February 15, 1841 |
Former Justice Pierce Butler | December 21, 1922 - November 16, 1939 |
Former Justice Potter Stewart | 1958 - 1985 |
Former Justice Robert Cooper Grier | August 4, 1846 - January 31, 1870 |
Former Justice Robert H. Jackson | 1941 - 1954 |
Former Justice Robert Trimble | May 9, 1826 - August 25, 1828 |
Former Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney | March 15, 1836 - October 12, 1864 |
Former Justice Rufus Wheeler Peckham | December 9, 1895 - October 24, 1909 |
Associate justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | August 5, 1993 - September 18, 2020 |
Former Chief Justice Salmon Portland Chase | December 6, 1864 - May 7, 1873 |
Associate justice Samuel Alito | January 31, 2006 - Present |
Former Justice Samuel Blatchford | March 22, 1882 - July 7, 1893 |
Former Justice Samuel Chase | January 27, 1796 - June 19, 1811 |
Former Justice Samuel Freeman Miller | July 16, 1862 - October 13, 1890 |
Former Justice Samuel Nelson | February 13, 1845 - November 28, 1872 |
Former justice Sandra Day O'Connor | September 25, 1981 - January 31, 2006 |
Former Justice Sherman Minton | October 5, 1949 - October 15, 1956 |
Former Justice Smith Thompson | December 9, 1823 - December 18, 1843 |
Associate justice Sonia Sotomayor | August 6, 2009 - Present |
Former Justice Stanley Matthews | May 12, 1881 - March 22, 1889 |
Former Justice Stanley Reed | January 27, 1938 - February 25, 1957 |
Former justice Stephen Breyer | August 3, 1994 - June 30, 2022 |
Former Justice Stephen Johnson Field | March 10, 1863 - December 1, 1897 |
Former Justice Thomas Johnson (U.S. Supreme Court) | August 6, 1792 - January 16, 1793 |
Former Justice Thomas Todd (U.S. Supreme Court) | March 3, 1807 - February 7, 1826 |
Former Judge Thurgood Marshall | August 30, 1967 - October 1, 1991 |
Former justice Tom Clark | 1949 - 1967 |
Former Justice Ward Hunt | December 11, 1872 - January 27, 1882 |
Former Chief Justice Warren Burger | June 23, 1969 - September 26, 1986 |
Former Justice Wiley Rutledge | February 11, 1943 - September 10, 1949 |
Former Justice William Brennan (U.S. Supreme Court) | March 21, 1957 - July 20, 1990 |
Former Justice William Burnham Woods | December 21, 1880 - May 14, 1887 |
Associate Justice William Cushing | September 27, 1789 - September 13, 1810 |
Former Justice William Douglas | April 15, 1939 - November 12, 1975 |
Former Justice William Henry Moody | December 12, 1906 - November 19, 1910 |
Former Chief Justice William Howard Taft | June 30, 1921 - February 3, 1930 |
Former Justice William Johnson, Jr. | March 26, 1804 - August 4, 1834 |
Former Justice William Paterson | March 4, 1793 - September 9, 1806 |
Former Chief Justice William Rehnquist | September 25, 1986 - September 3, 2005 |
Former Justice William Rufus Day | February 19, 1903 - November 13, 1922 |
Former Justice William Strong | Febryart 18, 1870 - December 14, 1880 |
Former Associate Justice Willis Van Devanter | December 16, 1910 - June 2, 1937 |
Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett | October 26, 2020 - Present |
Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson | April 8, 2022 - Present |
Standorte
Zeit | City | Building | About the location |
---|---|---|---|
February 1-10, 1790 and August 2-3, 1790 | New York City | Royal Exchange Building | The Court held its first two sessions when New York City was the nation's capital. The building was an open air market on the first floor; justices met on the second floor. |
February 1791 | Philadelphia | Independence Hall (then the Pennsylvania State House) | The Court convened here for just two days, since there were no cases on the docket. |
August 1791-1800 | Philadelphia | Old City Hall (then City Hall) | The U.S. Congress and the Supreme Court shared a location, meeting in the West Wing and East Wing, respectively. |
February 1801-1810 | Washington, D.C. | Various rooms in the U.S. Capitol | During this decade, the Court met in various rooms of the United States Capitol. |
1810-1860 | Washington, D.C. | Basement of the North Wing in the U.S. Capitol | In 1810, the Supreme Court met in various rooms in the Old North Wing of the Capitol. Throughout this period, when the building was under construction or when the building was burned by the British during the War of 1812, the Court convened in homes or taverns. |
1861-1935 | Washington, D.C. | Old Senate Chamber | The Supreme Court took over the Old Senate Chamber in 1861. Its previous meeting area became a shared law library for the Congress and Court. Though the Court now had a designated courtroom, justices and their staff did not have office spaces. |
1935-present | Washington, D.C. | The Supreme Court building | The cornerstone of the Supreme Court building was laid in 1932 and the court moved into its permanent location in 1935. President, and later, Chief Justice William Howard Taft was integral to the creation of the building, lobbying for its existence since 1912. Though Charles Evans Hughes presided over the court upon the building's completion, he credited Taft, saying, "This building is the result of his intelligent persistence."[40] |
See also
External links
- The Supreme Court Historical Society, History of the Supreme Court
- The Supreme Court of the United States, Members of the Supreme Court of the United States
- The Supreme Court of the United States, The Court and Its Traditions
- The Supreme Court of the United States, The Court and Its Procedures
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia: Article III
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Federal Judicial Center, Landmark Judicial Legislation: The Judiciary Act of 1789 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name "fjc" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Ballotpedia: John Jay
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 History.com, This Day in History, September 24, 1789: The First Supreme Court
- ↑ ABAJournal, "February 2, 1790: Supreme Court Holds Inaugural Session," February 1, 2011
- ↑ The Free Legal Dictionary, Harrison, Robert Hanson Harrison
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, Appellate Jurisdiction in the Federal Courts, U.S. Circuit Courts
- ↑ The U.S. Circuit Courts and the Federal Judiciary from the Federal Judicial Center
- ↑ Digital History, War on the Judiciary
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Federal Judicial Center, Landmark Judicial Legislation, Reorganization of the Judicial Circuits
- ↑ United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Recess Reading: An Occasional Feature From The Judiciary Committee, "Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "Court Packing" Plan"
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, Landmark Judicial Legislation, "The Judiciary Act of 1802"
- ↑ Google Books, The Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court by David Shultz, page 164
- ↑ The Supreme Court of the United States, The Courts and Its Procedures
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Jay, John," accessed March 10, 2022
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Supreme Court History, The Rutledge Court
- ↑ United States Senate, Chief Justice Rejected
- ↑ Encyclopedia Britannica, Oliver Ellsworth
- ↑ Oyez, "John Marshall"
- ↑ The Supreme Court, "Frequently Asked Questions"
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Marshall, John," accessed March 11, 2022
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Chase, Salmon Portland," accessed February 28, 2022
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Waite, Morrison Remick," accessed March 14, 2022
- ↑ Supreme Court Historical Society, "Melville Weston Fuller, 1888-1910," accessed March 10, 2022
- ↑ Oyez, "Melville W. Fuller," accessed March 10, 2022
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "White, Edward Douglass," accessed March 15, 2022
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Taft, William Howard," accessed March 11, 2022
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 PBS.org, "Biographies of the Robes: Charles Evans Hughes" Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name "pbs" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Oyez, "Charles E. Hughes"
- ↑ United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Noteworthy", accessed October 22, 2013
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Stone, Harlan Fiske," accessed March 11, 2022
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Vinson, Frederick Moore," accessed March 14, 2022
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Warren, Earl," accessed March 14, 2022
- ↑ Oyez.org, "Warren E. Burger," accessed December 10, 2021
- ↑ The University of Arizona, Rehnquist Center: William H. Rehnquist
- ↑ PBS.org, "Biographies of the Robes: John Roberts," accessed December 9, 2016
- ↑ CNN, "Roberts: 'My job is to call balls and strikes and not to pitch or bat,'" September 12, 2005
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 The Supreme Court Historical Society, Home of the Court
- ↑ The Supreme Court of the United States, Frequently Asked Questions