Who was the first Supreme Court of Justice?
Asked by: Emmanuelle Crooks | Last update: September 30, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (60 votes)
The First Supreme Court As stipulated by the Judiciary Act of 1789, there was one Chief Justice, John Jay, and five Associate Justices: James Wilson, William Cushing, John Blair, John Rutledge and James Iredell. Only Jay, Wilson, Cushing, and Blair were present at the Court's first sitting.
Was John Jay the first Supreme Court justice?
Supreme Court of the United States. John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States, led his contemporaries in legitimizing the reputation of the Court overseas, while also crafting the boundaries and responsibilities of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Who was the first American justice on the Supreme Court?
John Jay was the first chief justice of the Supreme Court and also the first chief justice to leave the post. Jay resigned in 1795, two months after being elected governor of New York.
When did the Supreme Court change from 6 to 9 justices?
The number of Justices on the Supreme Court changed six times before settling at the present total of nine in 1869. Since the formation of the Court in 1790, there have been only 17 Chief Justices* and 104 Associate Justices, with Justices serving for an average of 16 years.
Who was the only president to also be a Supreme Court justice?
William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States, serving from 1909 to 1913, and served from 1921 to 1930 as the tenth chief justice of the United States, the only person to have held both offices.
Louis Brandeis: The First Jewish Supreme Court Justice
What president was buried in a piano box?
Taft, in life weighing 330 pounds, in death is haunted by the rumor that he had to be buried in a piano box (which isn't true, but hard to forget).
Who is the only Supreme Court justice to be impeached?
Has a Justice ever been impeached? The only Justice to be impeached was Associate Justice Samuel Chase in 1805. The House of Representatives passed Articles of Impeachment against him; however, he was acquitted by the Senate.
Who is the longest serving Supreme Court justice currently?
Among the current members of the court, Clarence Thomas's tenure of 12,150 days (33 years, 96 days) is the longest, while Ketanji Brown Jackson's 942 days (2 years, 211 days) is the shortest.
Who was the first female Supreme Court justice?
As the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States, Sandra Day O'Connor became an inspiration to millions.
Who was the greatest chief justice of all time?
John Marshall is often referred to as the “Great Chief Justice” because of a decision he wrote in an early Supreme Court case.
Which two justices dated before being on court together?
Decades before they would serve together on the Supreme Court, William Rehnquist and Sandra Day O'Connor were engaged in a different type of courtship. The two grew close while attending Stanford Law School — they regularly shared notes and eventually became a couple.
Was Thurgood Marshall biracial?
Answer and Explanation: Thurgood Marshall identified as African-American. In the 1910 U.S. Census, he was living with his parents in the house of his aunt and uncle in New York City.
Why did John Jay resign from the Supreme Court?
In 1795, John Jay resigned from the Supreme Court bench to become the Second Governor of New York during a time of tumultuous dealings with Britain over territorial disputes. He had been in England at the time of his election, leading negotiations which would lead to the Jay Treaty.
Who is the youngest Supreme Court justice ever?
After much consideration, President James Madison nominated 32-year-old Joseph Story to the Supreme Court. Confirmed by the Senate in November 1811 and taking the oath of office in February of 1812, he remains the youngest Associate Justice to serve in Supreme Court history.
Who was the first black justice of the Supreme Court?
Thurgood Marshall became the first African-American to take the oath of office as a Supreme Court Justice on October 2, 1967. President Johnson observed, “Thurgood Marshall symbolizes what is best about our American society: the belief that human rights must be satisfied through the orderly processes of law. …
Which U.S. president was also a U.S. Supreme Court justice?
15, 1857 - March 8, 1930) William Howard Taft, 27th president of the United States and chief justice of the United States, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Taft attended Yale University, from which he graduated second in his class in 1878.
Who is the famous lady judge?
Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg (/ˈbeɪdər ˈɡɪnzbɜːrɡ/ BAY-dər GHINZ-burg; née Bader; March 15, 1933 – September 18, 2020) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020.
What is Clarence Thomas accused of?
Thomas experienced a particularly rigorous and dramatic round of Senate hearings. A former employee at the EEOC, Anita Hill, accused him of sexual harassment. After the FBI investigated and returned with an inconclusive report, the Senate initially decided not to pursue the report and continued with the hearings.
Who is the oldest person on the Supreme Court?
- Justice Thomas, 75.
- Justice Alito, 73.
- Justice Sotomayor, 69.
- Chief Justice Roberts, 69.
- Justice Kagan, 63.
- Justice Kavanaugh, 58.
- Justice Gorsuch, 56.
- Justice Jackson, 53.
Why do the justices wear black robes?
The simple black robe has quite a tradition as the "uniform" of justice in the United States and California. That black robe links judges together as we interpret and apply the law in hundreds of courtrooms throughout the state.
What two presidents have been impeached?
- Andrew Johnson in 1868.
- William Jefferson (Bill) Clinton in 1998.
- Donald John Trump in 2019 and 2021.
Has a federal judge ever been assassinated?
John H. Wood Jr. was appointed by President Richard Nixon to the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. He was assassinated on May 29, 1979, by Charles Harrelson in the parking lot outside Wood's home in San Antonio, Texas.
What 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).