The Supreme Court of the United States
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John Roberts
John Paul Stevens  · Antonin Scalia
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The demographics of the Supreme Court of the United States have been raised as an issue in various contexts over the last century. For example, the recent confirmation of a male, Italian Catholic means the Court will remain overwhelmingly male, while becoming majority Catholic for the first time in its history. Image File history File links Seal_of_the_United_States_Supreme_Court. ... The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the judicial branch of the United States federal government. ... This is a chronological list of notable cases decided by the Supreme Court of the United States. ... The Supreme Court of the United States is the only court specifically established by the Constitution of the United States, implemented in 1789. ... The Judiciary Act of 1789 implemented the entire federal judicial branch, including the Supreme Court. ... The Supreme Court building is the seat of the Supreme Court of the United States. ... John Glover Roberts, Jr. ... John Paul Stevens (born April 20, 1920) is an American jurist and the senior Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. ... Antonin Gregory Scalia (born March 11, 1936) is an American jurist on the Supreme Court of the United States who has been a prominent conservative and originalist voice of textualism in statutory interpretation and original meaning in constitutional interpretation. ... For other people of the same name, see Anthony Kennedy (disambiguation). ... David Hackett Souter (born September 17, 1939) has been an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court since 1990. ... Clarence Thomas (born June 23, 1948) is an American jurist and has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1991. ... Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg (born March 15, 1933) is a United States jurist. ... Stephen Gerald Breyer (born August 15, 1938) is an American attorney, political figure, and jurist. ... Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. ... Sandra Day OConnor (born March 26, 1930) is a former American jurist and politician who served as the first female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. ... 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. ... 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. ... 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. ... This is a list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices by time in office. ... The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the judicial branch of the government of the United States, and presides over the Supreme Court of the United States. ... This is a list of U.S. Chief Justices by time in office. ... 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. ... Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. ...

Introduction

The composition of the Court was largely stable for its first 180 years, with only a few deviations from the norm of white male protestant nominees being appointed. Concerns about "diversity" of the Court were couched in terms of geographic diversity, as opposed to ethnic, religious, or gender diversity. White is a color, (more accurately it contains all the colors of the visible spectrum and is sometimes described as an achromatic color—black is the absence of color) that has high brightness but zero hue. ... The shield and spear of the Roman God Mars are often used to represent the male sex In heterogamous species, male is the sex of an organism, or of a part of an organism, which typically produces smaller, mobile gametes (spermatozoa) that are able to fertilise female gametes (ova). ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ...

Because members of the Court are appointed by the President of the United States and approved by the United States Senate, the demographics of the Court have political symbolism. Every U.S. President has been a white male, and all have been Protestants except for John F. Kennedy, a Catholic. Neither of Kennedy's appointments were Catholic, however - Byron R. White was Protestant, and Arthur Goldberg was Jewish. However, the Court is not a representative body, and the gender, race, educational background or religious views of the Justices should play little role in their jurisprudence; thus, Clarence Thomas and Thurgood Marshall are both black, and have similar personal backgrounds, yet have utterly opposed judicial philosophies; William Brennan and Antonin Scalia shared Catholic faith and a Harvard Law School education, but shared little in the way of jurisprudential philosophies. Before Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement, she and fellow female Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, while not polar opposites, voted together no more often than with their male colleagues, and no particular "female perspective" can be discerned from their opinions. The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to as John F. Kennedy, JFK or Jack Kennedy, was the 35th President of the United States. ... Byron Raymond White (June 8, 1917 - April 15, 2002) won fame both as a bruising running back and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. ... Arthur Goldberg Arthur Joseph Goldberg (August 8, 1908 – January 19, 1990) was an American statesman and jurist who served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor, Supreme Court Justice and Ambassador to the United Nations. ... Clarence Thomas (born June 23, 1948) is an American jurist and has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1991. ... Thurgood Marshall (July 2, 1908 – January 24, 1993) was an American jurist and the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. ... William Joseph Brennan (April 25, 1906 - July 24, 1997) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. ... Antonin Gregory Scalia (born March 11, 1936) is an American jurist on the Supreme Court of the United States who has been a prominent conservative and originalist voice of textualism in statutory interpretation and original meaning in constitutional interpretation. ... Sandra Day OConnor (born March 26, 1930) is a former American jurist and politician who served as the first female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. ... Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg (born March 15, 1933) is a United States jurist. ...

Ethnicity

All U.S. Supreme Court Justices were white until the appointment of Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American justice, in 1968. Since then, only one other non-white justice has been appointed, Marshall's successor, Clarence Thomas. In statistical terms, 108 of the 110 Justices appointed, or 98.2%, have been white. There has never been more than one African-American justice on the Court at a time. Thurgood Marshall (July 2, 1908 – January 24, 1993) was an American jurist and the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. ... An African American is a United States citizen who is socially perceived as being at least part black, especially one with ancestors imported to America during slavery. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Clarence Thomas (born June 23, 1948) is an American jurist and has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1991. ...

Benjamin Cardozo, appointed to the Court in 1932, was the first Justice of non-northern European descent. A few historians contend that Cardozo, a Sephardic Jew of Portuguese descent and fluent in Spanish, should also be counted as the first Hispanic Justice. The majority view is that only whites and African-Americans have ever been represented on the Court. Justice Benjamin Nathan Cardozo (May 24, 1870–July 9, 1938) was a distinguished American jurist who is remembered not only for his landmark decisions on negligence but also his modesty and philosophy. ... 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ... Northern Europe is marked in dark blue Northern Europe is a name of the northern part of the European continent. ... In the strictest sense, a Sephardi (ספרדי, Standard Hebrew Səfardi, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄ardî; plural Sephardim: ספרדים, Standard Hebrew Səfardim, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄ardîm) is a Jew original to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal: ספרד, Standard Hebrew Səfárad, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄áraḏ / Səp̄āraḏ), or whose ancestors were among the Jews expelled from... The Hispanic world Hispanic (Spanish: Hispano) is a term denoting a derivation from Spain, her people and culture. ...

Justice Antonin Scalia, who is of Sicilian heritage, was appointed in 1986, and Justice Samuel Alito was appointed in 2006. They are the first justices of Italian descent to be appointed to the Supreme Court. Antonin Gregory Scalia (born March 11, 1936) is an American jurist on the Supreme Court of the United States who has been a prominent conservative and originalist voice of textualism in statutory interpretation and original meaning in constitutional interpretation. ... Sicilian (Lu Sicilianu, Lingua Siciliana) is the Romance language spoken in Sicily, Italy. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Gender

All U.S. Supreme Court Justices were males until 1981, when Ronald Reagan fulfilled his pledge to place a woman on the Court with the appointment of Sandra Day O'Connor. O'Connor was joined on the Court by Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 1993. The only other woman to officially be nominated to the Court was Harriet Miers, whose nomination to succeed O'Connor was withdrawn. President Richard Nixon named Mildred Lillie, then serving on an intermediate state appellate court in California, as a potential nominee to fill one of two vacancies on the Court in 1971. However, Lillie was quickly deemed unqualified by the American Bar Association, and no formal proceedings were ever set with respect to her potential nomination. Lewis Powell and William Rehnquist were then successfully nominated to fill those vacancies. 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ... Sandra Day OConnor (born March 26, 1930) is a former American jurist and politician who served as the first female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. ... Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg (born March 15, 1933) is a United States jurist. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Harriet Miers Harriet Ellan Miers (born August 10, 1945 in Dallas, Texas) is an American lawyer, currently serving as White House Counsel. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Mildred Lillie (January 25, 1915–October 27, 2001) was a California judge whom President Richard Nixon announced as the first female nominee for the United States Supreme Court. ... American Bar Associations Washington, DC office The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. ... Notable people with the name Lewis Powell include: Lewis Powell, one of the conspirators hanged for the assassination of United States President Abraham Lincoln. ... William Hubbs Rehnquist (October 1, 1924 – September 3, 2005) was an American lawyer, jurist and political figure, who served as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States and later as the Chief Justice of the United States. ...

In statistical terms, 108 of the 110 Justices appointed, or 98.2%, have been men.

Religion

When the Supreme Court was established in 1789, the first members came from among the ranks of the Founding Fathers and were almost uniformly Protestant. Of the 110 Justices who have been appointed to the court, 91 have been from various Protestant denominations, 11 have been Catholics (one other Justice, Sherman Minton, converted to Catholicism after leaving the Court) and 7 have been Jewish. Three of the 17 Chief Justices have been Catholics, and one Jewish Justice (Abe Fortas) was unsuccessfully nominated to be Chief Justice. 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Founding Fathers of the United States, also known to some Americans as the Fathers of Our Country (when referred to by Amricans), the Forefathers, Framers or the Founders are the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution or otherwise participated in the American Revolution as leaders of... Sherman Minton Sherman Minton, (October 20, 1890–April 9, 1965) was a United States Senator and an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. ... Abe Fortas Abraham Fortas (June 19, 1910 - April 5, 1982) was a U.S. Supreme Court associate justice. ...

A number of sizable religious groups have had no Justices appointed from their group. These include Mormons, Pentecostals, Muslims, Buddhists and members of the Eastern Orthodox church. Neither has an avowed atheist or agnostic ever been appointed to the Court, although some Justices have been noted as declining to engage in any manner of religious activity. For other uses, see Mormon (disambiguation). ... The Pentecostal movement within Protestant Christianity places special emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... Eastern Orthodoxy (also called Greek Orthodoxy and Russian Orthodoxy) is a Christian tradition which represents the majority of Eastern Christianity. ... For information about the band, see Atheist (band). ... The term agnosticism and the related agnostic were coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869. ...

Protestant Justices

Most Supreme Court Justices have been from various Protestant denominatations, and these have included 33 Episcopalians, 18 Presbyterians, 9 Unitarians, 5 Methodists, 3 Baptists, and lone representatives of various other denominations. William Rehnquist was the Court's only Lutheran; Noah Swayne was a Quaker. Some 15 Protestant Justices did not adhere to a particular denomination, and at least one, David Davis, was not a member of any church. The word Episcopal is derived from the Greek επισκοπος epískopos, which literally means overseer; the word however is used in religious terms to mean bishop. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... Historic Unitarianism believed in the oneness of God as opposed to traditional Christian belief in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). ... The Methodist movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity. ... A Baptist is a member of a Baptist church. ... William Hubbs Rehnquist (October 1, 1924 – September 3, 2005) was an American lawyer, jurist and political figure, who served as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States and later as the Chief Justice of the United States. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... Noah Haynes Swayne (December 7, 1804 - June 8, 1884) was an American jurist and politician. ... The Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, or Friends, is a religious community founded in England in the 17th century. ... David Davis III (March 9, 1815 - June 26, 1886) was a United States Senator from Illinois and associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. ...

Roman Catholic Justices

The first Roman Catholic Justice, Roger B. Taney, was appointed Chief Justice in 1836 by Andrew Jackson. The second, Edward Douglass White, was appointed as an Associate Justice in 1894, but also went on to become Chief Justice. Joseph McKenna was appointed in 1898, placing two Catholics on the Court until White's death in 1921. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Roger Brooke Taney (TAW-nee) (March 17, 1777 – October 12, 1864) was the fifth Chief Justice of the United States from 1836 until his death in 1864, and the first Roman Catholic to hold that office. ... Charles Darwin 1836 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767– June 8, 1845) was the seventh President of the United States (1829-1837), first governor of Florida (1821), general of the Battle of New Orleans (1815), a co-founder of the Democratic Party, and the eponym of the era of Jacksonian democracy. ... Edward Douglass White (November 3, 1845 – May 19, 1921), American politician and jurist, was a United States Senator, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and the ninth Chief Justice of the United States. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Joseph McKenna (August 10, 1843–November 21, 1926) was an American politician who served in all three branches of the U.S. federal government, as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, as U.S. Attorney General and as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. ... 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Other Catholic Justices included Pierce Butler (appointed 1923) and Frank Murphy (appointed 1940). Some accounts note that Sherman Minton, appointed in 1949, was also a Catholic, but he did not join the Catholic faith until 1961 - having already retired from the court in 1956. Minton was succeeded by a Catholic, however, when President Eisenhower appointed William J. Brennan to that seat. Brennan was then the lone Catholic Justice until the appointment of Antonin Scalia in 1986, and Anthony Kennedy in 1988. Pierce Butler (March 17, 1866 – November 16, 1939) was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1923 until his death in 1939. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... For the Australian rules footballer, see Frank Murphy (footballer). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... Sherman Minton Sherman Minton, (October 20, 1890–April 9, 1965) was a United States Senator and an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other people of the same name, see Anthony Kennedy (disambiguation). ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Like Sherman Minton, Clarence Thomas was not a Catholic at the time he was appointed to the Court. Thomas, although raised Catholic, had joined the Protestant denomination of his wife after their marriage. At some point in the late 1990s, Thomas returned to Catholicism. In 2005, John Roberts became the third Catholic Chief Justice and the fourth Catholic currently on the Court. Shortly thereafter, Samuel Alito became the fifth on the Court, and the eleventh in the history of the Court. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... John Glover Roberts, Jr. ... Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. ...

Jewish Justices

In 1853, President Millard Fillmore offered to appoint Louisiana Senator Judah P. Benjamin to be the first Jewish Justice, but Benjamin declined the offer, and ultimately became an officer in the Confederacy during the Civil War. The first Jewish nominee, Louis Brandeis, was appointed in 1916, after a tumultuous hearing process. The 1932 appointment of Benjamin Cardozo raised mild controversy for placing two Jewish justices on the Court at the same time, although the appointment was widely lauded based on Cardozo's qualifications. 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800 – March 8, 1874) was the thirteenth President of the United States, serving from 1850 until 1853, and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the nations highest office. ... Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq. ... Judah P. Benjamin Judah Philip Benjamin (August 6, 1811–May 6, 1884) was a British-American politician and lawyer, who served as a representative in the Louisiana State Legislature, as U.S. Senator for Louisiana, in three successive cabinet posts in the government of the Confederate States of America, and... The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the northern states, popularly referred to as the U.S., the Union, the North, or the Yankees; and the seceding southern states, commonly referred to as the Confederate States of America, the CSA, the Confederacy... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... Louis D. Brandeis Louis Dembitz Brandeis (November 13, 1856 – October 3, 1941) was an important American litigator, Supreme Court Justice, advocate of privacy, and developer of the Brandeis Brief. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Benjamin Nathan Cardozo (May 24, 1870–July 9, 1938) was a distinguished American jurist who is remembered not only for his landmark decisions on negligence but also his modesty, philosophy and writing style, which is considered remarkable for its prose and vividness. ...

Brandeis was succeeded by Protestant William O. Douglas, but Cardozo was succeeded by another Jewish Justice, Felix Frankfurter. Frankfurter was followed by Arthur Goldberg and Abe Fortas, each of whom filled what became known as the "Jewish Seat". After Fortas resigned in 1969, he was replaced by Protestant Harry Blackmun, and no Jewish Justices were appointed until 1993, when Ruth Bader Ginsburg was appointed to replace Byron White. Ginsburg was followed in relatively quick succession by the appointment of Stephen Breyer in 1994 to replace Harry Blackmun. William Orville Douglas (October 16, 1898 – January 19, 1980) was a United States Supreme Court Associate Justice. ... Justice Frankfurter Felix Frankfurter (November 15, 1882 – February 22, 1965) was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. ... Arthur Goldberg Arthur Joseph Goldberg (August 8, 1908 – January 19, 1990) was an American statesman and jurist who served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor, Supreme Court Justice and Ambassador to the United Nations. ... Abe Fortas Abraham Fortas (June 19, 1910 - April 5, 1982) was a U.S. Supreme Court associate justice. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... Justice Harry Blackmun Harry Andrew Blackmun (November 12, 1908 – March 4, 1999) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1970 to 1994. ... Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg (born March 15, 1933) is a United States jurist. ... Byron White, official portrait. ... Stephen Gerald Breyer (born August 15, 1938) is an American attorney, political figure, and jurist. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated like the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal. // Events January Bill Clinton January 1 : North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect. ... Justice Harry Blackmun Harry Andrew Blackmun (November 12, 1908 – March 4, 1999) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1970 to 1994. ...

Negative reaction to the appointment of the early Jewish Justices did not exclusively come from outside the Court. Justice James Clark McReynolds, a blatant anti-semite, refused to speak to Brandeis for three years following the latter's appointment and when Brandeis retired in 1939, did not sign the customary dedicatory letter sent to Court members on their retirement. During Benjamin Cardozo's swearing in ceremony McReynolds pointedly read a newspaper muttering "another one" and did not attend Felix Frankfurter's, exclaiming "My God, another Jew on the Court!" Justice McReynolds, c. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Benjamin Nathan Cardozo (May 24, 1870–July 9, 1938) was a distinguished American jurist who is remembered not only for his landmark decisions on negligence but also his modesty, philosophy and writing style, which is considered remarkable for its prose and vividness. ... Justice Frankfurter Felix Frankfurter (November 15, 1882 – February 22, 1965) was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. ...

The Court arrives at a non-Protestant majority

At the time of Breyer's appointment in 1994, there were two Roman Catholic Justices, Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy, and two Jewish Justices, Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. When Clarence Thomas, who had been raised as a Roman Catholic but had attended an Episcopalian church after his marriage, returned to Catholicism later in the 1990s, Protestant Justices remained a plurality on the Court, but were no longer a majority. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Antonin Gregory Scalia (born March 11, 1936) is an American jurist on the Supreme Court of the United States who has been a prominent conservative and originalist voice of textualism in statutory interpretation and original meaning in constitutional interpretation. ... For other people of the same name, see Anthony Kennedy (disambiguation). ... Clarence Thomas (born June 23, 1948) is an American jurist and has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1991. ... The word Episcopal is derived from the Greek επισκοπος epískopos, which literally means overseer; the word however is used in religious terms to mean bishop. ... A plurality (or relative majority) is the largest share of something, which may or may not be a majority. ...

The Court arrives at a Catholic majority

In 2005, Chief Justice John Roberts became the fourth sitting Catholic Justice, creating the first Catholic plurality on the Court. On January 31, 2006, Samuel Alito became the fifth sitting Catholic Justice. John Glover Roberts, Jr. ... A plurality (or relative majority) is the largest share of something, which may or may not be a majority. ...

Catholic Justices now constitute 56% (5 of 9) of the Supreme Court; about 25% of Americans are Catholic. Jewish Justices constitute 22% (2 of 9) of the Court; about 2% of Americans are Jewish. The sole Episcopal Justice represents 11% (1 of 9) of the Court; about 2% of Americans are Episcopalians. The sole Protestant Justice declining to specify a denomination represents 11% (1 of 9) of the Court; about 3% of Americans are Protestants who decline to specify a denomination. Grouping all Protestant denominations together, including Episcopalians, Protestant Justices constitute 22% (2 of 9) of the Court; 52% of Americans are Protestants, overall. The word episcopal is derived from the Greek επίσκοπος, transliterated epískopos, which literally means overseer; the word, however, is used in religious contexts to refer to a bishop. ...

The last two Democrat-nominated Justices were Jewish, and five of the last six Republican-nominated Justices either were Catholics or have since become Catholic. The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ... This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ...

In contrast, there has been only one Catholic U.S. President, Democrat John F. Kennedy, and there has never been a Jewish president.

Age

Justices tend to be appointed after having made significant achievements in law or politics, which excludes many young judges from consideration. At the same time, Justices appointed at too advanced an age will likely have short tenures on the Court. The youngest Justice ever appointed was Joseph Story, 32 at the time of his appointment in 1812; the oldest was Horace Lurton, 65 at the time of his appointment in 1909. True to the stereotypical concerns, Story went on to serve for 33 years, while Lurton served only 4. American jurist Joseph Story Joseph Story (September 18, 1779 - September 10, 1845), American jurist, was born at Marblehead, Massachusetts. ... Categories: People stubs | U.S. Supreme Court justices | 1844 births | 1914 deaths ...

The youngest justice appointed in recent memory was Clarence Thomas, 43 years old at the time of his appointment. The oldest current Justice, John Paul Stevens, is now 85. The oldest person to have served on the Court was Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., who stepped down after turning 90. John Paul Stevens (born April 20, 1920) is an American jurist and the senior Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. ... Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. ...

The average age of the Court as a whole fluctuates over time with the departure of older Justices and the appointment of younger people to fill their seats. For the current Court, this age is 66; just prior to the death of Chief Justice Rehnquist, the average age was 71.

Geographic background

For most of the existence of the Court, geographic diversity has been a key concern of presidents in choosing justices to appoint. For example, in appointing Cardozo, President Roosevelt was as concerned about the controversy over having two New York Justices on the Court as he was about having two Jewish Justices. However, this has not been raised as a concern for several decades. Because many nominees are appointed Judges who live in districts different than their hometown or home state, it has become harder to calculate geographic diversity. Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq. ...

The current court has a majority from the Northeastern United States, with six justices coming from states to the north and east of Washington, DC. The remaining three justices come from Illinois, California, and Georgia. Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

Economic and educational background

The majority of the Court's work is not momentous consideration of Constitutional provisions, but rather, unglamorous and dry legal arcana, interpreting minutiae of ERISA, RICO and so on. Consequentially, a legal education has become an unofficial prerequisite to appointment on the Supreme Court, and most Justices have come from sufficient wealth (on the present court, only Justice Thomas would present a notable exception) that achieving such an education presented little obstacle. The following, taken from http://www. ... RICO or the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act is a United States law which provides for extended penalties for criminal acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. ...

The table below shows which college and law school each Justice attended: The term college (Latin collegium) is most often used today to denote an educational institution. ... // A law school is an institution where future lawyers obtain legal degrees. ...

By stark contrast, many of the early Justices were appointed before the advent of modern law schools, and their legal studies took the form of apprenticeships with more experienced attorneys. Associate Justice James F. Byrnes, whose short tenure lasted from June of 1941 to October of 1942, was the last Justice without a law degree to be appointed; however Stanley F. Reed, who served on the Court from 1938 to 1957, was the last sitting Justice from such a background. John Glover Roberts, Jr. ... The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the judicial branch of the government of the United States, and presides over the Supreme Court of the United States. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States and a former governor of Texas. ... Harvard Yard Harvard College is the undergraduate section and oldest school of Harvard University, having been founded in 1636. ... The crest of Harvard Law School is drawn from the Royall coat of arms Harvard Law School (HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ... John Paul Stevens (born April 20, 1920) is an American jurist and the senior Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. ... Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. ... The University of Chicago is a private university located principally in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. ... For other schools named Northwestern please see Northwestern College. ... Antonin Gregory Scalia (born March 11, 1936) is an American jurist on the Supreme Court of the United States who has been a prominent conservative and originalist voice of textualism in statutory interpretation and original meaning in constitutional interpretation. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ... Georgetown University is a private university in the United States. ... The crest of Harvard Law School is drawn from the Royall coat of arms Harvard Law School (HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ... For other people of the same name, see Anthony Kennedy (disambiguation). ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ... Stanford redirects here. ... The crest of Harvard Law School is drawn from the Royall coat of arms Harvard Law School (HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ... David Hackett Souter (born September 17, 1939) has been an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court since 1990. ... George Herbert Walker Bush, Hon GCB (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States of America (1989–1993). ... Harvard Yard Harvard College is the undergraduate section and oldest school of Harvard University, having been founded in 1636. ... The crest of Harvard Law School is drawn from the Royall coat of arms Harvard Law School (HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ... Clarence Thomas (born June 23, 1948) is an American jurist and has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1991. ... George Herbert Walker Bush, Hon GCB (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States of America (1989–1993). ... Not to be confused with Holy Cross College (Indiana) or other similarly named Holy Cross Colleges. ... Yale Law School, established in 1843 in New Haven, Connecticut, is a division of Yale University. ... Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg (born March 15, 1933) is a United States jurist. ... William Jefferson Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... This is about the university. ... Stephen Gerald Breyer (born August 15, 1938) is an American attorney, political figure, and jurist. ... William Jefferson Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Stanford redirects here. ... The crest of Harvard Law School is drawn from the Royall coat of arms Harvard Law School (HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ... Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States and a former governor of Texas. ... Princeton University is a coeducational private university located on an extensive campus mostly in the Borough of Princeton and partly in the Princeton Township in New Jersey, United States. ... Yale Law School, established in 1843 in New Haven, Connecticut, is a division of Yale University. ... // A law school is an institution where future lawyers obtain legal degrees. ... Apprenticeship is a traditional method, still popular in some countries, of training a new generation of skilled crafts practitioners. ... Portrait of U.S. Secretary of State James F. Byrnes James Francis Byrnes (May 2, 1879 – April 9, 1972) was a confidant of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and one of the most powerful men in American domestic and foreign policy in the mid-2006s. ... Stanley Forman Reed (December 31, 1884 – April 2, 1980) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1938 to 1957. ...

Sources

• David M. O'Brien, Storm Center, Sixth ed. (W.W. Norton & Co., 2003). ISBN 0-393-97896-6

External links

• Religious Affiliation of the U.S. Supreme Court from Adherents.com
• Cornell site on the Justices, noting the educational background of each