
Who is the latest Supreme Court justice to retire?
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to retire at end of current term Jan. 26, 2022 03:59
Why is Stephen Breyer retiring from the Supreme Court?
Why U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring now U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring. With a potential red wave coming in the midterm election, his move to step down now is about politics and the ideological direction of the court. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring.
Which Justice is retiring?
- Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring from the bench, multiple media outlets reported.
- The 83-year-old justice is the oldest member of the court and the most senior member of the liberal wing.
- CNN reported that Breyer won't step down until the Senate confirms a successor.
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.

Sandra Day O'Connor
Nominated by President George H.W. Bush, O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, was 75 when she retired. O'Connor left the court in 2006 in large measure because of the declining health of her husband, who had Alzheimer's disease.
David Souter
Nominated by President George H.W. Bush, Souter retired from the court in 2009 at age 69. Souter had made it clear to friends and associates that he disliked Washington, D.C., and was anxious to return to his native New Hampshire. He continues to hear cases as a visiting federal judge for the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston.
Anthony Kennedy
Nominated by President Ronald Reagan, Kennedy retired in 2018 at age 81. Known best as a critical swing vote on the then closely divided court, Kennedy said at the time that he was leaving the high court to spend more time with his family.
John Paul Stevens
Nominated by President Gerald Ford, Stevens retired in 2010 and passed away in 2019 at age 98. He decided to retire after suffering a ministroke. Despite being nominated by a Republican president, Stevens became a leading member of the court's liberal wing.
Thurgood Marshall
Nominated by President Lyndon Johnson, Marshall was the first Black justice of the high court. He retired in 1991 at age 83, citing health reasons, and died two years later. A prominent figure in the civil rights movement, Marshall was perhaps best known as the lead counsel in the landmark 1954 Brown v.
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:
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.
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.
