
Who is currently the oldest US Supreme Court justice?
Stephen Breyer (August 15, 1938 – Present) After the recent passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the oldest current Supreme Court justice is Stephen Breyer at 82 years of age. Breyer was appointed by President Bill Clinton back in the 90s and has served for over 25 years.
Who confirms a Supreme Court justice?
Supreme Court justices, court of appeals judges, and district court judges are nominated by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate, as stated in the Constitution. Article III of the Constitution states that these judicial officers are appointed for a life term.
How many US Supreme Court justices are currently serving?
The nine justices are Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice Samuel Alito, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
Who is the oldest current sitting Supreme Court justice?
Below are the political leanings and ages of the U.S. Supreme Court justices. Currently, the difference in their ages spans 34 years, from Justice Amy Barrett, who at 48 years of age is the youngest, to Justice Stephen Breyer, who at 82 years of age is the oldest:

Who appointed our current Supreme Court justices?
The Constitution requires the president to submit nominations to the Senate for its advice and consent. Since the Supreme Court was established in 1789, presidents have submitted 165 nominations for the Court, including those for chief justice. Of this total, 128 were confirmed (7 declined to serve).
Who are the current justices of the Supreme Court?
Current MembersJohn G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States, ... Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice, ... Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Associate Justice, ... Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice, ... Elena Kagan, Associate Justice, ... Neil M. Gorsuch, Associate Justice, ... Brett M. Kavanaugh, Associate Justice,More items...
Who are the judges on the Supreme Court 2022?
The Supreme Court as composed June 30, 2022 to present. Front row, left to right: Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., and Associate Justice Elena Kagan.
How US Supreme Court justices are appointed?
How are Supreme Court Justices selected? The President nominates someone for a vacancy on the Court and the Senate votes to confirm the nominee, which requires a simple majority. In this way, both the Executive and Legislative Branches of the federal government have a voice in the composition of the Supreme Court.
Who is the Chief Justice of Supreme Court 2022?
It was also the first instance that nine judges to the Supreme Court took oath at once. 8 of the 27 judges (excluding chief justice) are expected to eventually become Chief Justices of India. Justice Uday Umesh Lalit is the 49th and current Chief Justice of India. He was sworn in on 27 August 2022.
Which president appointed the most Supreme Court Justices?
George Washington holds the record for most Supreme Court nominations, with 14 nominations (12 of which were confirmed). Four presidents—William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Andrew Johnson, and Jimmy Carter—did not make any nominations, as there were no vacancies while they were in office.
Who is the oldest Supreme Court Justice?
What is this? Following the retirement of Stephen Breyer, Justice Clarence Thomas is now the oldest member of the U.S. Supreme Court at the age of 74. First appointed in 1991, Thomas is currently the longest-serving justice among this group of justices.
Why do we have 9 Supreme Court Justices?
How did the U.S. decide that nine was the magic number of justices to sit on its most-powerful judicial bench? Basically, the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to determine how many justices sit on SCOTUS. This number has ranged between 5 and 10, but since 1869 the number has been set at 9.
Who is the newest member of the Supreme Court?
Ketanji Brown JacksonThe Senate Confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. On February 25, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to become the 116th Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. On April 7, 2022, a bipartisan group of Senators confirmed Judge Jackson's nomination.
How many votes does it take to confirm the Supreme Court?
A simple majority vote is required to confirm or to reject a nominee. Historically, such rejections are relatively uncommon. Of the 37 unsuccessful Supreme Court nominations since 1789, only 11 nominees have been rejected in a Senate roll-call vote.
Are judges elected or appointed?
The Chief Justice of India and the Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President under clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution.
Why do presidents appoint Supreme Court Justices?
Members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President subject to the approval of the Senate. To ensure an independent Judiciary and to protect judges from partisan pressures, the Constitution provides that judges serve during “good Behaviour,” which has generally meant life terms.
Who are the current Supreme Court justices and their ages?
JusticeDate of BirthAppointed byElena Kagan28 Apr 1960 Age: 62 yr 6 moBarack ObamaNeil McGill Gorsuch29 Aug 1967 Age: 55 yr 2 moDonald John TrumpBrett Michael Kavanaugh12 Feb 1965 Age: 57 yr 8 moDonald John TrumpAmy Coney Barrett28 Jan 1972 Age: 50 yr 9 moDonald John Trump5 more rows•Jun 29, 2022
Why do we have 9 Supreme Court Justices?
How did the U.S. decide that nine was the magic number of justices to sit on its most-powerful judicial bench? Basically, the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to determine how many justices sit on SCOTUS. This number has ranged between 5 and 10, but since 1869 the number has been set at 9.
Who on the Supreme Court voted for abortion?
Justice Samuel Alito Alito has voted to uphold every abortion law the court has considered since his 2006 confirmation, joining a majority to uphold the federal "partial-birth" abortion law and dissenting in the 2016 and 2020 cases.
How many judges are there in Supreme Court?
The Supreme Court of India comprises the Chief Justice and 30 other Judges appointed by the President of India.
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
Its membership, as set by the Judiciary Act of 1869, consists of the Chief Justice of the United States and eight associate justices, any six of whom constitute a quorum.
How long has the Supreme Court been in office?
Since the Supreme Court was established in 1789, 115 people have served on the Court. The length of service on the Court for the 106 non-incumbent justices range s from William O. Douglas 's 36 years, 211 days to the 163-day tenure of Thomas Johnson. As of October 10, 2021, the length of service for the nine incumbent justices ranges from Clarence Thomas ' 29 years, 352 days to Amy Coney Barrett 's 348 days. Five individuals were confirmed for associate justice, and later appointed chief justice separately: John Rutledge, Edward Douglass White, Charles Evans Hughes, Harlan F. Stone, and William Rehnquist. While listed twice, each of them has been assigned only one index number. The justices of the Supreme Court are:
What is the Supreme Court?
v. t. e. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest ranking judicial body in the United States. Its membership, as set by the Judiciary Act of 1869, consists of the Chief Justice of the United States and eight associate justices, any six of whom constitute a quorum. Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the Constitution grants plenary power ...
How many members were there in the Supreme Court in 1802?
However, an 1802 act negated the effects of the 1801 act upon the Court before any such vacancy occurred, maintaining the Court's size at six members. Later legislation increased its size to seven members in 1807, to nine in 1837, and to ten in 1863.
Can a retired justice be a judge?
A retired justice, according to the United States Code, is no longer a member of the Supreme Court, but remains eligible to serve by designation as a judge of a U.S. Court of Appeals or District Court, and many retired justices have served in these capacities.
Who nominates the Supreme Court?
Supreme Court justices are first nominated by the president.
How many justices has Donald Trump appointed?
President Trump has appointed two justices throughout his term in office.
How long do the Supreme Court Justices serve?
Once appointed, the justices will serve a life-term working at the Supreme Court. Here is more on how the Supreme Court justices are appointed.
What is the term of a Supreme Court judge?
Article III of the Constitution states that these judges will be appointed for a life-term.
What is the role of judges in the government?
The judges are responsible for checks and balances within each branch of government, setting limits and ensuring laws do not harm or take advantage of unpopular majorities.
When was Sonia Sotomayor appointed?
Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic and Latina member of the Court, was appointed in August of 2009.
When should a president wait to nominate a judge?
Customary rule states that during an election year a president should wait until the election to nominate a judge.
How many justices were on the Supreme Court?
With the Judiciary Act of 1869 the number of justice on the court was officially set at nine by Congress, as since the court's inception it had fluctuated from being anywhere between six to ten justices.
Who signed the Judiciary Act of 1789?
After the ratification of the Constitution in 1788, the following year the Judiciary Act of 1789 was passed by the Congress and signed by President George Washington.
How does the Supreme Court process work?
The nomination process for a new Supreme Court justice begins when one either retires from the court or passes away. Thereafter, the sitting U.S. President nominates a qualified replacement. After this occurs, the Senate Judiciary Committee takes over the next part of the appointment process. This committee then vets the nominee's background, history and credentials and holds a first hearing with him or her to question them on their qualifications. The committee then votes on the nominee and the nomination is then sent to the full senate to go forward or with the recommendation that the nominee be rejected. If the nominee is rejected then the president will have to pick a new nominee and the process will start over.
What happens if the Senate confirms a nominee?
If the senate reaches that number then the nomination is confirmed and if not then the nomination fails and the process must start with a new nominee from the beginning. One the nominee is confirmed then they usually go straight to the White House to be sworn in, usually buy the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
What is the Supreme Court's decision in Marbury v. Madison?
Madison, the Supreme Court formed the basis for the practice of judicial review to decide if something violates or contradicts the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights and also defined the boundary that would separate the judicial branch from the executive branch of government.
What article of the Constitution is the Supreme Court?
The United States' Supreme Court, along with the rest of the American Federal court system, was created and outlined in the United States Constitution in Article 3.
Why is the Supreme Court important?
The United States Supreme Court is important due to its stature as the highest court in the land, and as the final judge in matters of interpreting both the Constitution and in all cases that involve the laws passed by Congress.

John Roberts, Chief Justice of The United States
Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice
Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice
Samuel A. Alito, Associate Justice
Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice
Elena Kagan, Associate Justice
Neil M. Gorsuch, Associate Justice
Brett M. Kavanaugh, Associate Justice
- Trump nominated Kavanaugh as an associate justice of the Supreme Court, and he took his seat on October 6, 2018. He was previously Associate Counsel and then Senior Associate Counsel to President George W. Bush, and Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary for Bush. In 2006, he was appointed a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for t...
Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice