Did Obama appoint any Justices?
Asked by: Noemy Gorczany | Last update: July 17, 2026Score: 5/5 (58 votes)
Yes, President Barack Obama appointed two Supreme Court justices during his two terms in office: Sonia Sotomayor in 2009 and Elena Kagan in 2010. Both were confirmed by the Senate and replaced retiring Justices David Souter and John Paul Stevens, respectively.
Which justices were appointed by Barack Obama?
President Barack Obama successfully appointed two justices to the United States Supreme Court during his two terms in office:
Why didn't Obama appoint Supreme Court justices?
President Obama did not appoint a Supreme Court justice in 2016 because the Republican-controlled Senate refused to consider his nominee, Merrick Garland, following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Republicans argued that because it was an election year, the seat should be filled by the next president.
Can the president fire a Supreme Court judge?
No, the President of the United States cannot fire a Supreme Court justice. Under Article III of the Constitution, justices serve lifetime appointments during "good behavior". The only way a Supreme Court justice can be removed is through the process of impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate.
Who did Obama nominate for the Supreme Court?
Merrick Garland Supreme Court nomination. On March 16, 2016, President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States to succeed Antonin Scalia, who had died one month earlier.
Obama-appointed liberal justices meet ferocious pushback for this
Has any president ignored a Supreme Court order?
In two notable nineteenth-century cases—Worcester v. Georgia (1832) and Ex parte Merryman (1861)—presidents took no action to enforce Supreme Court rulings under circumstances where many argued that they were obligated to do so.
Who appointed all 9 Supreme Court justices?
As of May 2026, the nine U.S. Supreme Court Justices were appointed by three different presidents: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and George W. Bush. Justices are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to life terms.
Could Obama have appointed Garland?
President Obama could not have constitutionally appointed Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court without Senate confirmation, despite arguments from some legal scholars that the Senate waived its right to advice and consent. Although arguments for recess appointments existed, they were legally untested and politically infeasible, leading to a successful Republican blockade.
Did Obama appoint Sonia Sotomayor?
Yes, President Barack Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court on May 26, 2009, to replace retiring Justice David Souter. She was confirmed by the Senate on August 6, 2009, becoming the first Hispanic and third female justice in Supreme Court history.
Can Supreme Court decisions be overturned?
Significance: If Congress disagrees with the interpretation of the Constitution developed by the Court, it can propose an amendment that will have the effect of overturning the Court's decision.
Who was the Supreme Court justice appointed by Obama in 2009?
Sotomayor has taught at the New York University School of Law and Columbia Law School. In May 2009, President Obama nominated Sotomayor to the Supreme Court following Justice David Souter's retirement. Her nomination was confirmed by the Senate in August 2009 by a vote of 68–31.
Did Joe Biden appoint any Supreme Court justices?
Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson
Michelle Childs and Leondra Kruger. On February 25, it was announced that Biden would nominate Judge Jackson. On April 7, 2022, Jackson was confirmed by a vote of 53–47. She was then sworn in on June 30, 2022, at noon, when Breyer's retirement went into effect.
Who did Obama add to the Supreme Court?
President Barack Obama appointed two justices to the United States Supreme Court during his two terms in office: Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
Which president nominated the 9 Supreme Court justices?
In 1937, Roosevelt had won a second term in office, but the makeup of a conservative-leaning Supreme Court hadn't changed since he took office four years earlier. Roosevelt supported a Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937 to add as many as six new Justices.
Who was the only impeached Supreme Court justice?
It also states that justices shall hold office only during “good Behavior.” Justice Samuel Chase, a Federalist, was impeached in 1804 and tried in 1805 for his intemperate and partisan behavior on the bench. To this date, he is the only Supreme Court justice Congress ever impeached.
Who are the 4 horsemen of the Supreme Court?
The "Four Horsemen" was the popular nickname given to a conservative bloc of U.S. Supreme Court Justices during the 1930s who consistently struck down President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal economic legislation.
Who is the greatest judge of all time?
In the United States, John Marshall is universally regarded as the greatest judge in American history. As the longest-serving Chief Justice, he authored Marbury v. Madison (1803), which established the doctrine of judicial review and solidified the Supreme Court as a co-equal branch of government.
Can Trump be removed from office?
Considered scenarios. Four scenarios for the removal of Trump from office had been posited by members of Congress, members of Trump's cabinet, political commentators, or legal scholars: resignation, the invocation of the 14th Amendment, invocation of the 25th Amendment, or impeachment and conviction.
Can a judge overrule the president?
Yes, federal judges can overrule, block, or invalidate actions taken by the President if those actions are deemed unconstitutional or violate federal law. Through judicial review, courts act as a check on executive power, though such decisions can be appealed, and recent Supreme Court rulings have limited the ability of lower courts to issue nationwide injunctions against presidential policies.
What are 5 things the president can't do?
The U.S. Constitution creates a strict system of checks and balances, meaning the president does not have absolute authority. Under this framework, a president cannot make laws, declare war, spend unappropriated money, interpret the Constitution, or make top appointments without Senate confirmation.
Why didn't Obama appoint the Supreme Court?
President Obama did not appoint a Supreme Court justice in 2016 because the Republican-controlled Senate refused to consider his nominee, Merrick Garland, following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Republicans argued that because it was an election year, the seat should be filled by the next president.
How many justices did Obama appoint?
President Barack Obama appointed two justices to the Supreme Court of the United States.