Who Has Sat on the Supreme Court?
Every justice who has sat on the Court from the 1937 term on, 49 in all: the nine on the bench today, how long each served, who appointed them, and how often they wrote the Court’s opinion or dissented. A name opens that justice’s profile.
How to read this
The nine are shown in the order they sit on the bench, as the audience sees it: the Chief Justice in the middle, then the associate justices alternating outward by seniority, the most senior at the Chief’s right. A bar’s colour is the party of the president who appointed the justice. Opinion counts and dissent rates cover argued cases from the 1946 term on.
The Court today
6 of the 9 sitting justices were appointed by Republican presidents and 3 by Democrats. Thomas has sat longest, since 1991; Jackson joined most recently, in 2022.
BarrettJusticeRepublican appointee: TrumpSince 2020
GorsuchJusticeRepublican appointee: TrumpSince 2017
SotomayorJusticeDemocratic appointee: ObamaSince 2009
ThomasJusticeRepublican appointee: G.H.W. BushSince 1991
RobertsChief JusticeRepublican appointee: G.W. BushSince 2005
AlitoJusticeRepublican appointee: G.W. BushSince 2006
KaganJusticeDemocratic appointee: ObamaSince 2010
KavanaughJusticeRepublican appointee: TrumpSince 2018
JacksonJusticeDemocratic appointee: BidenSince 2022
How long each justice served
Of the 40 justices who have left the Court, Douglas, 36 years (1939–1975), served longest and Byrnes, 1.3 years (1941–1942), shortest.
- Appointed by a Democrat
- Appointed by a Republican
Data notes
One bar per justice, from the first day on the Court to the last (to today for the 9 sitting), in the colour of the party of the president who appointed them; Stone and Rehnquist, elevated to Chief Justice by another president, keep the colour of their first appointment. Charles Hughes’s bar has a gap: he left in 1916 to run for president and returned as Chief Justice in 1930. Years served are completed years of service. Dates and appointments: Federal Judicial Center.
View as table
| Justice | Appointed by | First day | Last day | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ketanji Jackson | Joseph R. Biden (D) | 2022-06-30 | serving | 4.3 |
| Amy Barrett | Donald J. Trump (R) | 2020-10-26 | serving | 6.0 |
| Brett Kavanaugh | Donald J. Trump (R) | 2018-10-06 | serving | 8.0 |
| Neil Gorsuch | Donald J. Trump (R) | 2017-04-08 | serving | 9.5 |
| Elena Kagan | Barack Obama (D) | 2010-08-06 | serving | 16 |
| Sonia Sotomayor | Barack Obama (D) | 2009-08-06 | serving | 17 |
| Samuel Alito | George W. Bush (R) | 2006-01-31 | serving | 20 |
| John Roberts | George W. Bush (R) | 2005-09-29 | serving | 21 |
| Stephen Breyer | William J. Clinton (D) | 1994-08-03 | 2022-06-30 | 27 |
| Ruth Ginsburg | William J. Clinton (D) | 1993-08-05 | 2020-09-18 | 27 |
| Clarence Thomas | George H.W. Bush (R) | 1991-10-18 | serving | 35 |
| David Souter | George H.W. Bush (R) | 1990-10-03 | 2009-06-30 | 18 |
| Anthony Kennedy | Ronald Reagan (R) | 1988-02-11 | 2018-07-31 | 30 |
| Antonin Scalia | Ronald Reagan (R) | 1986-09-25 | 2016-02-13 | 29 |
| Sandra O'Connor | Ronald Reagan (R) | 1981-09-22 | 2006-01-31 | 24 |
| John Stevens | Gerald Ford (R) | 1975-12-17 | 2010-06-30 | 34 |
| William Rehnquist | Richard M. Nixon (R) | 1971-12-15 | 2005-09-03 | 33 |
| Lewis Powell | Richard M. Nixon (R) | 1971-12-09 | 1987-06-26 | 15 |
| Harry Blackmun | Richard M. Nixon (R) | 1970-05-14 | 1994-08-03 | 24 |
| Warren Burger | Richard M. Nixon (R) | 1969-06-23 | 1986-09-26 | 17 |
| Thurgood Marshall | Lyndon B. Johnson (D) | 1967-08-30 | 1991-10-01 | 24 |
| Abe Fortas | Lyndon B. Johnson (D) | 1965-08-11 | 1969-05-14 | 3.8 |
| Arthur Goldberg | John F. Kennedy (D) | 1962-09-28 | 1965-07-26 | 2.8 |
| Byron White | John F. Kennedy (D) | 1962-04-12 | 1993-06-28 | 31 |
| Potter Stewart | Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) | 1958-10-14 | 1981-07-03 | 22 |
| Charles Whittaker | Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) | 1957-03-22 | 1962-03-31 | 5.0 |
| William Brennan | Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) | 1956-10-15 | 1990-07-20 | 33 |
| John Harlan | Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) | 1955-03-17 | 1971-09-23 | 16 |
| Earl Warren | Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) | 1953-10-02 | 1969-06-23 | 15 |
| Sherman Minton | Harry S. Truman (D) | 1949-10-05 | 1956-10-15 | 7.0 |
| Tom Clark | Harry S. Truman (D) | 1949-08-19 | 1967-06-12 | 17 |
| Frederick Vinson | Harry S. Truman (D) | 1946-06-21 | 1953-09-08 | 7.2 |
| Harold Burton | Harry S. Truman (D) | 1945-09-22 | 1958-10-13 | 13 |
| Wiley Rutledge | Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) | 1943-02-11 | 1949-09-10 | 6.6 |
| Robert Jackson | Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) | 1941-07-11 | 1954-10-09 | 13 |
| James Byrnes | Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) | 1941-06-25 | 1942-10-03 | 1.3 |
| Frank Murphy | Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) | 1940-01-18 | 1949-07-19 | 9.5 |
| William Douglas | Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) | 1939-04-15 | 1975-11-12 | 36 |
| Felix Frankfurter | Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) | 1939-01-20 | 1962-08-28 | 23 |
| Stanley Reed | Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) | 1938-01-27 | 1957-02-25 | 19 |
| Hugo Black | Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) | 1937-08-18 | 1971-09-17 | 34 |
| Benjamin Cardozo | Herbert Hoover (R) | 1932-03-02 | 1938-07-09 | 6.4 |
| Owen Roberts | Herbert Hoover (R) | 1930-05-20 | 1945-07-31 | 15 |
| Harlan Stone | Calvin Coolidge (R) | 1925-02-05 | 1946-04-22 | 21 |
| Pierce Butler | Warren G. Harding (R) | 1922-12-21 | 1939-11-16 | 16 |
| George Sutherland | Warren G. Harding (R) | 1922-09-05 | 1938-01-17 | 15 |
| Louis Brandeis | Woodrow Wilson (D) | 1916-06-01 | 1939-02-13 | 22 |
| James McReynolds | Woodrow Wilson (D) | 1914-08-29 | 1941-01-31 | 26 |
| Charles Hughes | Herbert Hoover (R) | 1910-05-02 | 1941-06-30 | 17 |
Every justice
In argued cases since the 1946 term, White wrote the most majority opinions (465) and Douglas dissented most often, in 30.8% of the cases they voted in.
- Ketanji Jackson2022–presentDemocratic appointee: Joseph R. Biden
2022–present · Democratic appointee: Joseph R. Biden
- Years
- 4.3
- Opinions
- 22
- Dissent
- 25.5%
- Latest
- −2.81
- Career
- −2.62
- Amy Barrett2020–presentRepublican appointee: Donald J. Trump
2020–present · Republican appointee: Donald J. Trump
- Years
- 6.0
- Opinions
- 36
- Dissent
- 9.1%
- Latest
- 0.52
- Career
- 0.77
- Brett Kavanaugh2018–presentRepublican appointee: Donald J. Trump
2018–present · Republican appointee: Donald J. Trump
- Years
- 8.0
- Opinions
- 50
- Dissent
- 6.4%
- Latest
- 0.55
- Career
- 0.56
- Neil Gorsuch2017–presentRepublican appointee: Donald J. Trump
2017–present · Republican appointee: Donald J. Trump
- Years
- 9.5
- Opinions
- 62
- Dissent
- 18.4%
- Latest
- 1.08
- Career
- 1.04
- Elena Kagan2010–presentDemocratic appointee: Barack Obama
2010–present · Democratic appointee: Barack Obama
- Years
- 16
- Opinions
- 108
- Dissent
- 19.4%
- Latest
- −1.84
- Career
- −1.74
- Sonia Sotomayor2009–presentDemocratic appointee: Barack Obama
2009–present · Democratic appointee: Barack Obama
- Years
- 17
- Opinions
- 114
- Dissent
- 23.1%
- Latest
- −4.19
- Career
- −3.27
- Samuel Alito2006–presentRepublican appointee: George W. Bush
2006–present · Republican appointee: George W. Bush
- Years
- 20
- Opinions
- 139
- Dissent
- 18.6%
- Latest
- 2.50
- Career
- 2.00
- 2005–presentRepublican appointee: George W. Bush
- Years
- 21
- Opinions
- 150
- Dissent
- 9.9%
- Latest
- 0.33
- Career
- 0.81
- Stephen Breyer1994–2022Democratic appointee: William J. Clinton
1994–2022 · Democratic appointee: William J. Clinton
- Years
- 27
- Opinions
- 218
- Dissent
- 20.1%
- Latest
- −2.12
- Career
- −1.32
- Ruth Ginsburg1993–2020Democratic appointee: William J. Clinton
1993–2020 · Democratic appointee: William J. Clinton
- Years
- 27
- Opinions
- 214
- Dissent
- 21.2%
- Latest
- −2.92
- Career
- −1.76
- Clarence Thomas1991–presentRepublican appointee: George H.W. Bush
1991–present · Republican appointee: George H.W. Bush
- Years
- 35
- Opinions
- 265
- Dissent
- 20.8%
- Latest
- 3.07
- Career
- 3.40
- David Souter1990–2009Republican appointee: George H.W. Bush
1990–2009 · Republican appointee: George H.W. Bush
- Years
- 18
- Opinions
- 158
- Dissent
- 17.7%
- Latest
- −1.57
- Career
- −0.77
- Anthony Kennedy1988–2018Republican appointee: Ronald Reagan
1988–2018 · Republican appointee: Ronald Reagan
- Years
- 30
- Opinions
- 276
- Dissent
- 8.9%
- Latest
- 0.40
- Career
- 0.68
- Antonin Scalia1986–2016Republican appointee: Ronald Reagan
1986–2016 · Republican appointee: Ronald Reagan
- Years
- 29
- Opinions
- 282
- Dissent
- 18.0%
- Latest
- 1.59
- Career
- 2.50
- Sandra O'Connor1981–2006Republican appointee: Ronald Reagan
1981–2006 · Republican appointee: Ronald Reagan
- Years
- 24
- Opinions
- 298
- Dissent
- 13.3%
- Latest
- 0.08
- Career
- 1.02
- John Stevens1975–2010Republican appointee: Gerald Ford
1975–2010 · Republican appointee: Gerald Ford
- Years
- 34
- Opinions
- 393
- Dissent
- 26.1%
- Latest
- −2.86
- Career
- −1.81
- 1971–2005Republican appointee: Richard M. Nixon
- Years
- 33
- Opinions
- 456
- Dissent
- 18.0%
- Latest
- 1.47
- Career
- 2.97
- Lewis Powell1971–1987Republican appointee: Richard M. Nixon
1971–1987 · Republican appointee: Richard M. Nixon
- Years
- 15
- Opinions
- 253
- Dissent
- 11.0%
- Latest
- 0.88
- Career
- 0.97
- Harry Blackmun1970–1994Republican appointee: Richard M. Nixon
1970–1994 · Republican appointee: Richard M. Nixon
- Years
- 24
- Opinions
- 312
- Dissent
- 17.6%
- Latest
- −1.93
- Career
- −0.03
- 1969–1986Republican appointee: Richard M. Nixon
- Years
- 17
- Opinions
- 257
- Dissent
- 13.6%
- Latest
- 2.24
- Career
- 1.89
- Thurgood Marshall1967–1991Democratic appointee: Lyndon B. Johnson
1967–1991 · Democratic appointee: Lyndon B. Johnson
- Years
- 24
- Opinions
- 320
- Dissent
- 28.5%
- Latest
- −4.30
- Career
- −2.82
- Abe Fortas1965–1969Democratic appointee: Lyndon B. Johnson
1965–1969 · Democratic appointee: Lyndon B. Johnson
- Years
- 3.8
- Opinions
- 40
- Dissent
- 12.6%
- Latest
- −1.09
- Career
- −1.32
- Arthur Goldberg1962–1965Democratic appointee: John F. Kennedy
1962–1965 · Democratic appointee: John F. Kennedy
- Years
- 2.8
- Opinions
- 34
- Dissent
- 11.0%
- Latest
- −0.78
- Career
- −1.07
- Byron White1962–1993Democratic appointee: John F. Kennedy
1962–1993 · Democratic appointee: John F. Kennedy
- Years
- 31
- Opinions
- 465
- Dissent
- 12.7%
- Latest
- 0.58
- Career
- 0.44
- Potter Stewart1958–1981Republican appointee: Dwight D. Eisenhower
1958–1981 · Republican appointee: Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Years
- 22
- Opinions
- 309
- Dissent
- 17.6%
- Latest
- 0.73
- Career
- 0.40
- Charles Whittaker1957–1962Republican appointee: Dwight D. Eisenhower
1957–1962 · Republican appointee: Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Years
- 5.0
- Opinions
- 40
- Dissent
- 21.6%
- Latest
- 1.16
- Career
- 1.17
- William Brennan1956–1990Republican appointee: Dwight D. Eisenhower
1956–1990 · Republican appointee: Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Years
- 33
- Opinions
- 437
- Dissent
- 22.8%
- Latest
- −3.17
- Career
- −1.78
- John Harlan1955–1971Republican appointee: Dwight D. Eisenhower
1955–1971 · Republican appointee: Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Years
- 16
- Opinions
- 167
- Dissent
- 24.7%
- Latest
- 0.78
- Career
- 1.62
- 1953–1969Republican appointee: Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Years
- 15
- Opinions
- 165
- Dissent
- 11.8%
- Latest
- −1.30
- Career
- −1.26
- Sherman Minton1949–1956Democratic appointee: Harry S. Truman
1949–1956 · Democratic appointee: Harry S. Truman
- Years
- 7.0
- Opinions
- 64
- Dissent
- 14.1%
- Latest
- 0.84
- Career
- 1.10
- Tom Clark1949–1967Democratic appointee: Harry S. Truman
1949–1967 · Democratic appointee: Harry S. Truman
- Years
- 17
- Opinions
- 211
- Dissent
- 10.9%
- Latest
- 0.11
- Career
- 0.47
- 1946–1953Democratic appointee: Harry S. Truman
- Years
- 7.2
- Opinions
- 77
- Dissent
- 11.4%
- Latest
- 1.48
- Career
- 1.03
- Harold Burton1945–1958Democratic appointee: Harry S. Truman
1945–1958 · Democratic appointee: Harry S. Truman
- Years
- 13
- Opinions
- 89†
- Dissent
- 16.8%†
- Latest
- 1.07
- Career
- 1.00
- Wiley Rutledge1943–1949Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
1943–1949 · Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Years
- 6.6
- Opinions
- 27†
- Dissent
- 24.7%†
- Latest
- −1.86
- Career
- −1.42
- Robert Jackson1941–1954Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
1941–1954 · Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Years
- 13
- Opinions
- 90†
- Dissent
- 23.0%†
- Latest
- 0.85
- Career
- 0.70
- James Byrnes1941–1942Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
1941–1942 · Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Years
- 1.3
- Opinions
- —
- Dissent
- —
- Latest
- −0.18
- Career
- −0.18
- Frank Murphy1940–1949Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
1940–1949 · Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Years
- 9.5
- Opinions
- 35†
- Dissent
- 23.2%†
- Latest
- −1.51
- Career
- −1.59
- William Douglas1939–1975Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
1939–1975 · Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Years
- 36
- Opinions
- 364†
- Dissent
- 30.8%†
- Latest
- −7.76
- Career
- −4.70
- Felix Frankfurter1939–1962Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
1939–1962 · Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Years
- 23
- Opinions
- 151†
- Dissent
- 23.6%†
- Latest
- 1.79
- Career
- 0.52
- Stanley Reed1938–1957Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
1938–1957 · Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Years
- 19
- Opinions
- 102†
- Dissent
- 16.0%†
- Latest
- 0.80
- Career
- 0.37
- Hugo Black1937–1971Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
1937–1971 · Democratic appointee: Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Years
- 34
- Opinions
- 306†
- Dissent
- 24.1%†
- Latest
- 0.00
- Career
- −1.76
- Benjamin Cardozo1932–1938Republican appointee: Herbert Hoover
1932–1938 · Republican appointee: Herbert Hoover
- Years
- 6.4
- Opinions
- —
- Dissent
- —
- Latest
- −1.59
- Career
- −1.59
- Owen Roberts1930–1945Republican appointee: Herbert Hoover
1930–1945 · Republican appointee: Herbert Hoover
- Years
- 15
- Opinions
- —
- Dissent
- —
- Latest
- 2.76
- Career
- 1.52
- 1925–1946Republican appointee: Calvin Coolidge
- Years
- 21
- Opinions
- —
- Dissent
- —
- Latest
- 0.73
- Career
- 0.01
- Pierce Butler1922–1939Republican appointee: Warren G. Harding
1922–1939 · Republican appointee: Warren G. Harding
- Years
- 16
- Opinions
- —
- Dissent
- —
- Latest
- 2.38
- Career
- 2.23
- George Sutherland1922–1938Republican appointee: Warren G. Harding
1922–1938 · Republican appointee: Warren G. Harding
- Years
- 15
- Opinions
- —
- Dissent
- —
- Latest
- 1.60
- Career
- 1.60
- Louis Brandeis1916–1939Democratic appointee: Woodrow Wilson
1916–1939 · Democratic appointee: Woodrow Wilson
- Years
- 22
- Opinions
- —
- Dissent
- —
- Latest
- −0.61
- Career
- −0.61
- James McReynolds1914–1941Democratic appointee: Woodrow Wilson
1914–1941 · Democratic appointee: Woodrow Wilson
- Years
- 26
- Opinions
- —
- Dissent
- —
- Latest
- 3.38
- Career
- 3.50
- 1910–1941Republican appointee: Herbert Hoover
- Years
- 17
- Opinions
- —
- Dissent
- —
- Latest
- 0.94
- Career
- 0.19
Data notes
Opinions and dissents come from the justice-centered Supreme Court Database: argued cases from the 1946 term on, so justices who sat earlier have no counts (—), and those who sat before and after show a partial record (†). Opinions are majority opinions the justice wrote. The dissent rate is dissenting votes divided by cases where the justice took a side; an equally divided Court or a recusal counts as neither. The takeaway compares only justices with 500+ such votes. Scores are Martin–Quinn, negative more liberal, the latest term and the average of all of a justice’s terms. Years served are completed years.
Source: Federal Judicial Center, Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges (service dates and appointments); Supreme Court Database, justice-centered, argued cases from the 1946 term (opinions and dissents; licensed CC BY-NC 3.0 US); Martin–Quinn scores. Portraits: public-domain images via Wikipedia.