List of Justices of The Supreme Court of The United States By Court Composition

In order to become a Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States, an individual must be nominated by the President of the United States and approved by the U.S. Senate, with at least half of that body approving in the affirmative. Generally, a justice's qualifications are judged by the President and, most visibly, by a Senate hearing. There is no definitive qualification of age or experience that is a standard to be met; instead, there is a much more subjective process taken by the Senate, occasionally resulting in a sometimes controversial defeat of judicial nominees.

Congress is responsible for setting the number of justices. With the Judiciary Act of 1789, the Supreme Court was established with six members. The Seventh Circuit Act increased their number by one in 1807, and the Eighth and Ninth Circuit Act set the court's size at nine in 1837. The 1866 Tenth Circuit Act add one more justice. However, the Judicial Circuits Act of 1866 eliminated the seat then vacant after the death of John Catron, and provided that two more would be eliminated as they became vacant. One more was eliminated at the death of James Moore Wayne in 1867, leaving the court with eight justices. The Judiciary Act of 1869 prevented the eighth seat from being eliminated and created one additional seat by setting the total number of seats at nine, where it has stood ever since.

Note that associate justices are listed, from left to right, in order of seniority.

Supreme Court of the United States
The Jay Court
Chief Justice: John Jay (1789–1795)
1789–1792:
  • J. Rutledge
  • Wm. Cushing
  • J. Wilson
  • J. Blair
  • J. Iredell
1792–1793:
  • Wm. Cushing
  • J. Wilson
  • J. Blair
  • J. Iredell
  • Th. Johnson
1793–1795:
  • Wm. Cushing
  • J. Wilson
  • J. Blair
  • J. Iredell
  • Wm. Paterson
The Rutledge Court
Chief Justice: John Rutledge (1795)
1795:
  • Wm. Cushing
  • J. Wilson
  • J. Blair
  • J. Iredell
  • Wm. Paterson
The Ellsworth Court
Chief Justice: Oliver Ellsworth (1796–1800)
1796–1798:
  • Wm. Cushing
  • J. Wilson
  • J. Iredell
  • Wm. Paterson
  • S. Chase
1798–Feb 1799:
  • Wm. Cushing
  • J. Iredell
  • Wm. Paterson
  • S. Chase
Feb–Oct 1799:
  • Wm. Cushing
  • J. Iredell
  • Wm. Paterson
  • S. Chase
  • B. Washington
Oct 1799–Apr 1800:
  • Wm. Cushing
  • Wm. Paterson
  • S. Chase
  • B. Washington
Apr–Dec 1800:
  • Wm. Cushing
  • Wm. Paterson
  • S. Chase
  • B. Washington
  • A. Moore
The Marshall Court
Chief Justice: John Marshall (1801–1835)
1801–1804:

Wm. Cushing | Wm. Paterson | S. Chase | B. Washington | A. Moore
1804–1806:

Wm. Cushing | Wm. Paterson | S. Chase | B. Washington | Wm. Johnson
1807–1810:

Wm. Cushing | S. Chase | B. Washington | Wm. Johnson | H.B. Livingston | Th. Todd
1810–1811:

S. Chase | B. Washington | Wm. Johnson | H.B. Livingston | Th. Todd
1811–1812:

B. Washington | Wm. Johnson | H.B. Livingston | Th. Todd | G. Duvall
1812–1823:

B. Washington | Wm. Johnson | H.B. Livingston | Th. Todd | G. Duvall | J. Story
1823–1826:

B. Washington | Wm. Johnson | Th. Todd | G. Duvall | J. Story | S. Thompson
1826–1828:

B. Washington | Wm. Johnson | G. Duvall | J. Story | S. Thompson | R. Trimble
1828–1829:

B. Washington | Wm. Johnson | G. Duvall | J. Story | S. Thompson
1830–1834:

Wm. Johnson | G. Duvall | J. Story | S. Thompson | J. McLean | H. Baldwin
1835:

G. Duvall | J. Story | S. Thompson | J. McLean | H. Baldwin | J.M. Wayne
The Taney Court
Chief Justice: Roger B. Taney (1836–1864)
1836–1837:

J. Story | S. Thompson | J. McLean | H. Baldwin | J.M. Wayne | P.P. Barbour
1837–1838:

J. Story | S. Thompson | J. McLean | H. Baldwin | J.M. Wayne | P.P. Barbour | J. Catron
1838–1841:

J. Story | S. Thompson | J. McLean | H. Baldwin | J.M. Wayne | P.P. Barbour | J. Catron | J. McKinley
1842–1843:

J. Story | S. Thompson | J. McLean | H. Baldwin | J.M. Wayne | J. Catron | J. McKinley | P.V. Daniel
1843–1844:

J. Story | J. McLean | H. Baldwin | J.M. Wayne | J. Catron | J. McKinley | P.V. Daniel
1845–1846:

J. McLean | J.M. Wayne | J. Catron | J. McKinley | P.V. Daniel | S. Nelson | L. Woodbury
1846–1851:

J. McLean | J.M. Wayne | J. Catron | J. McKinley | P.V. Daniel | S. Nelson | L. Woodbury | R.C. Grier
1851–1852:

J. McLean | J.M. Wayne | J. Catron | J. McKinley | P.V. Daniel | S. Nelson | R.C. Grier | B.R. Curtis
1853–1857:

J. McLean | J.M. Wayne | J. Catron | P.V. Daniel | S. Nelson | R.C. Grier | B.R. Curtis | J.A. Campbell
1858–1860:

J. McLean | J.M. Wayne | J. Catron | P.V. Daniel | S. Nelson | R.C. Grier | J.A. Campbell | N. Clifford
1860–1861:

J. McLean | J.M. Wayne | J. Catron | S. Nelson | R.C. Grier | J.A. Campbell | N. Clifford
1862–1863:

J.M. Wayne | J. Catron | S. Nelson | R.C. Grier | N. Clifford | N.H. Swayne | S.F. Miller | D. Davis
1863–1864:

J.M. Wayne | J. Catron | S. Nelson | R.C. Grier | N. Clifford | N.H. Swayne | S.F. Miller | D. Davis | S.J. Field
The Chase Court
Chief Justice: Salmon P. Chase (1864–1873)
1864–1865:

J.M. Wayne | J. Catron | S. Nelson | R.C. Grier | N. Clifford | N.H. Swayne | S.F. Miller | D. Davis | S.J. Field
1865–1867:

J.M. Wayne | S. Nelson | R.C. Grier | N. Clifford | N.H. Swayne | S.F. Miller | D. Davis | S.J. Field
1867–1870:

S. Nelson | R.C. Grier | N. Clifford | N.H. Swayne | S.F. Miller | D. Davis | S.J. Field
1870–1872:

S. Nelson | N. Clifford | N.H. Swayne | S.F. Miller | D. Davis | S.J. Field | Wm. Strong | J.P. Bradley
1873:

N. Clifford | N.H. Swayne | S.F. Miller | D. Davis | S.J. Field | Wm. Strong | J.P. Bradley | W. Hunt
The Waite Court
Chief Justice: Morrison Waite (1874–1888)
1874–1877:

N. Clifford | N.H. Swayne | S.F. Miller | D. Davis | S.J. Field | Wm. Strong | J.P. Bradley | W. Hunt
1877–1880:

N. Clifford | N.H. Swayne | S.F. Miller | S.J. Field | Wm. Strong | J.P. Bradley | W. Hunt | J.M. Harlan
1881:

N. Clifford | S.F. Miller | S.J. Field | J.P. Bradley | W. Hunt | J.M. Harlan | Wm. B. Woods | S. Matthews
1882–1887:

S.F. Miller | S.J. Field | J.P. Bradley | J.M. Harlan | Wm. B. Woods | S. Matthews | H. Gray | S. Blatchford
1888:

S.F. Miller | S.J. Field | J.P. Bradley | J.M. Harlan | S. Matthews | H. Gray | S. Blatchford | L.Q.C. Lamar II
The Fuller Court
Chief Justice: Melville Fuller (1888–1910)
1888–1889:

S.F. Miller | S.J. Field | J.P. Bradley | J.M. Harlan | S. Matthews | H. Gray | S. Blatchford | L.Q.C. Lamar II
1890–1891:

S.J. Field | J.P. Bradley | J.M. Harlan | H. Gray | S. Blatchford | L.Q.C. Lamar II | D.J. Brewer
1891–1892:

S.J. Field | J.P. Bradley | J.M. Harlan | H. Gray | S. Blatchford | L.Q.C. Lamar II | D.J. Brewer | H.B. Brown
1892–1893:

S.J. Field | J.M. Harlan | H. Gray | S. Blatchford | L.Q.C. Lamar II | D.J. Brewer | H.B. Brown | Geo. Shiras, Jr.
1893:

S.J. Field | J.M. Harlan | H. Gray | S. Blatchford | D.J. Brewer | H.B. Brown | Geo. Shiras, Jr. | H.E. Jackson
1894–1895:

S.J. Field | J.M. Harlan | H. Gray | D.J. Brewer | H.B. Brown | Geo. Shiras, Jr. | H.E. Jackson | E.D. White
1896–1897:

S.J. Field | J.M. Harlan | H. Gray | D.J. Brewer | H.B. Brown | Geo. Shiras, Jr. | E.D. White | R.W. Peckham
1898–1902:

J. M. Harlan | H. Gray | D.J. Brewer | H.B. Brown | Geo. Shiras, Jr. | E.D. White | R.W. Peckham | J. McKenna
1902–1903:

J. M. Harlan | D.J. Brewer | H.B. Brown | Geo. Shiras, Jr. | E.D. White | R.W. Peckham | J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes
1903–1906:

J. M. Harlan | D.J. Brewer | H.B. Brown | E.D. White | R.W. Peckham | J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | Wm. R. Day
1906–1909:

J. M. Harlan | D.J. Brewer | E.D. White | R.W. Peckham | J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | Wm. R. Day | Wm. H. Moody
Jan–Mar 1910:

J. M. Harlan | D.J. Brewer | E.D. White | J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | Wm. R. Day | Wm. H. Moody | H.H. Lurton
Mar–Jul 1910:

J. M. Harlan | E.D. White | J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | Wm. R. Day | Wm. H. Moody | H.H. Lurton
The White Court
Chief Justice: Edward Douglass White (1910–1921)
1910:

J. M. Harlan | J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | Wm. R. Day | Wm. H. Moody | H.H. Lurton | C.E. Hughes
1911:

J. M. Harlan | J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | Wm. R. Day | H.H. Lurton | C.E. Hughes | W. Van Devanter | J.R. Lamar
1912–1914:

J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | Wm. R. Day | H.H. Lurton | C.E. Hughes | W. Van Devanter | J.R. Lamar | M. Pitney
1914–1916:

J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | Wm. R. Day | C.E. Hughes | W. Van Devanter | J.R. Lamar | M. Pitney | J.C. McReynolds
1916–1921:

J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | Wm. R. Day | W. Van Devanter | M. Pitney | J.C. McReynolds | L.D. Brandeis | J. H. Clarke
The Taft Court
Chief Justice: William Howard Taft (1921–1930)
1921–1922:

J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | Wm. R. Day | W. Van Devanter | M. Pitney | J.C. McReynolds | L.D. Brandeis | J.H. Clarke
1922:

J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | Wm. R. Day | W. Van Devanter | M. Pitney | J.C. McReynolds | L.D. Brandeis | Geo. Sutherland
1923–1925:

J. McKenna | O.W. Holmes | W. Van Devanter | J.C. McReynolds | L.D. Brandeis | Geo. Sutherland | P. Butler | E.T. Sanford
1925–1930:

O.W. Holmes | W. Van Devanter | J.C. McReynolds | L.D. Brandeis | Geo. Sutherland | P. Butler | E.T. Sanford | H.F. Stone
The Hughes Court
Chief Justice: Charles Evans Hughes (1930–1941)
Feb–Mar 1930:

O.W. Holmes | W. Van Devanter | J.C. McReynolds | L.D. Brandeis | Geo. Sutherland | P. Butler | E.T. Sanford | H.F. Stone
Jun 1930–1932:

O.W. Holmes | W. Van Devanter | J.C. McReynolds | L.D. Brandeis | Geo. Sutherland | P. Butler | H.F. Stone | O.J. Roberts
1932–1937:

W. Van Devanter | J.C. McReynolds | L.D. Brandeis | Geo. Sutherland | P. Butler | H.F. Stone | O.J. Roberts | B.N. Cardozo
1937–1938:

J.C. McReynolds | L.D. Brandeis | Geo. Sutherland | P. Butler | H.F. Stone | O.J. Roberts | B.N. Cardozo | H. Black
1938:

J.C. McReynolds | L.D. Brandeis | P. Butler | H.F. Stone | O.J. Roberts | B.N. Cardozo | H. Black | S.F. Reed
1939:

J.C. McReynolds | P. Butler | H.F. Stone | O.J. Roberts | H. Black | S.F. Reed | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas
1940–1941:

J.C. McReynolds | H.F. Stone | O.J. Roberts | H. Black | S.F. Reed | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | F. Murphy
Feb-Jul 1941:

H.F. Stone | O.J. Roberts | H. Black | S.F. Reed | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | F. Murphy | (vacancy)
The Stone Court
Chief Justice: Harlan Fiske Stone (1941–1946)
1941–1942:

O.J. Roberts | H. Black | S.F. Reed | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | F. Murphy | J.F. Byrnes | R.H. Jackson
1943–1945:

O.J. Roberts | H. Black | S.F. Reed | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | F. Murphy | R.H. Jackson | W.B. Rutledge
1945–1946:

H. Black | S.F. Reed | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | F. Murphy | R.H. Jackson | W.B. Rutledge | H.H. Burton
The Vinson Court
Chief Justice: Frederick M. Vinson (1946–1953)
1946–1949:

H. Black | S.F. Reed | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | F. Murphy | R.H. Jackson | W.B. Rutledge | H.H. Burton
1949–1953:

H. Black | S.F. Reed | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | R.H. Jackson | H.H. Burton | T.C. Clark | S. Minton
The Warren Court
Chief Justice: Earl Warren (1953–1969)
1953–1954:

H. Black | S.F. Reed | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | R.H. Jackson | H.H. Burton | T.C. Clark | S. Minton
1955–1956:

H. Black | S.F. Reed | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | H.H. Burton | T.C. Clark | S. Minton | J.M. Harlan II
1956–1957:

H. Black | S.F. Reed | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | H.H. Burton | T.C. Clark | J.M. Harlan II | Wm. J. Brennan
1957–1958:

H. Black | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | H.H. Burton | T.C. Clark | J.M. Harlan II | Wm. J. Brennan | C.E. Whittaker
1958–1962:

H. Black | F. Frankfurter | Wm. O. Douglas | T.C. Clark | J.M. Harlan II | Wm. J. Brennan | C.E. Whittaker | P. Stewart
1962–1965:

H. Black | Wm. O. Douglas | T.C. Clark | J.M. Harlan II | Wm. J. Brennan | P. Stewart | B. White | A.J. Goldberg
1965–1967:

H. Black | Wm. O. Douglas | T.C. Clark | J.M. Harlan II | Wm. J. Brennan | P. Stewart | B. White | A. Fortas
1967–1969:

H. Black | Wm. O. Douglas | J.M. Harlan II | Wm. J. Brennan | P. Stewart | B. White | A. Fortas | T. Marshall
The Burger Court
Chief Justice: Warren E. Burger (1969–1986)
1969–1970:

H. Black | Wm. O. Douglas | J.M. Harlan II | Wm. J. Brennan | P. Stewart | B. White | T. Marshall
1970–1971:

H. Black | Wm. O. Douglas | J.M. Harlan II | Wm. J. Brennan | P. Stewart | B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun
1972–1975:

Wm. O. Douglas | Wm. J. Brennan | P. Stewart | B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun | L.F. Powell, Jr. | Wm. Rehnquist
1975–1981:

Wm. J. Brennan | P. Stewart | B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun | L.F. Powell, Jr. | Wm. Rehnquist | J.P. Stevens
1981–1986:

Wm. J. Brennan | B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun | L.F. Powell, Jr. | Wm. Rehnquist | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor
The Rehnquist Court
Chief Justice: William Rehnquist (1986–2005)
1986–1987:

Wm. J. Brennan | B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun | L.F. Powell, Jr. | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia
1988–1990:

Wm. J. Brennan | B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy
1990–1991:

B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy | D. Souter
1991–1993:

B. White | H. Blackmun | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy | D. Souter | C. Thomas
1993–1994:

H. Blackmun | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy | D. Souter | C. Thomas | R.B. Ginsburg
1994–2005:

J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy | D. Souter | C. Thomas | R.B. Ginsburg | S. Breyer
The Roberts Court
Chief Justice: John Glover Roberts, Jr. (2005-present)
2005–2006:
  • J.P. Stevens
  • S.D. O'Connor
  • A. Scalia
  • A. Kennedy
  • D. Souter
  • C. Thomas
  • R.B. Ginsburg
  • S. Breyer
2006–2009:
  • J.P. Stevens
  • A. Scalia
  • A. Kennedy
  • D. Souter
  • C. Thomas
  • R.B. Ginsburg
  • S. Breyer
  • S. Alito
2009–2010:
  • J.P. Stevens
  • A. Scalia
  • A. Kennedy
  • C. Thomas
  • R.B. Ginsburg
  • S. Breyer
  • S. Alito
  • S. Sotomayor
2010–present:
  • A. Scalia
  • A. Kennedy
  • C. Thomas
  • R.B. Ginsburg
  • S. Breyer
  • S. Alito
  • S. Sotomayor
  • E. Kagan


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