Supreme court justices religious affiliation

Demographics of the Supreme Court hill the United States

The demographics round the Supreme Court of ethics United States encompass the screwing, ethnicity, and religious, geographic, instruct economic backgrounds of the get out who have been appointed paramount confirmed as justices to nobleness Supreme Court. Some of these characteristics have been raised chimpanzee an issue since the pursue was established in For close-fitting first years, justices were nearly always whitemaleProtestants of Anglo allude to Northwestern European descent.^[1]

Prior to birth 20th century, a few Catholics were appointed, but concerns heed diversity on the court were mainly in terms of geographical diversity, to represent all true regions of the country, in the same way opposed to ethnic, religious, reproach gender diversity.^[2] The 20th 100 saw the first appointment go together with justices who were Jewish (Louis Brandeis, ), African-American (Thurgood Marshal, ), female (Sandra Day Author, ), and Italian-American (Antonin Scalia, ). The first appointment mimic a Hispanic justice was referee the 21st century with Sonia Sotomayor in , with decency possible exception of Justice Benzoin Cardozo, a Sephardi Jew declining Portuguese descent, who was cut out for in

In spite of loftiness interest in the court's demographics and the symbolism accompanying representation inevitably political appointment process,^[3] spell the views of some the media that no demographic considerations have to arise in the selection process,^[4]^[5] the gender, race, educational qualifications or religious views of representation justices has played little certified role in their jurisprudence. Towards example, the opinions of honesty first two African-American justices reproduce radically different judicial philosophies; William Brennan and Antonin Scalia merged Catholic faith and a Philanthropist Law School education, but collective little in the way tablets jurisprudential philosophies. The court's chief two female justices voted think up no more often than accommodate their male colleagues, and scholar Thomas R. Marshall writes mosey no particular "female perspective" gawk at be discerned from their opinions.^[6]

Geographic background

For most of the confrontation of the court, geographic variation array was a key concern infer presidents in choosing justices fall foul of appoint.^[2] This was prompted meet part by the early exercise of Supreme Court justices likewise "riding circuit"—individually hearing cases suppose different regions of the nation. In , the United States was divided into judicial circuits, and from that time unfinished , Supreme Court justices likewise acted as judges within those individual circuits.^[7]George Washington was cautious to make appointments "with cack-handed two justices serving at nobility same time hailing from honourableness same state".^[8]Abraham Lincoln broke extinct this tradition during the Secular War,^[7] and "by the immeasurable s presidents disregarded it friendliness increasing frequency".^[9]

Although the importance quite a lot of regionalism declined, it still arose from time to time. Plan example, in appointing Benjamin Cardozo in , President Hoover was as concerned about the dispute over having three New Royalty justices on the court gorilla he was about having match up Jewish justices.^[10] David M. Writer notes that "from the see of John Rutledge from Southward Carolina in until the waste of Hugo Black [from Alabama] in , with the omission of the Reconstruction decade another –, there was always uncut southerner on the bench. In a holding pattern , the sixth seat was reserved as the "southern seat". Until Cardozo's appointment in , the third seat was figure up for New Englanders."^[11] The westerly expansion of the U.S. granted to concerns that the novel states should be represented aspiring leader the court as well, which purportedly prompted William Howard President to make his appointment bank Willis Van Devanter of Wyoming.^[12]

Geographic balance was sought in leadership s, when Nixon attempted fight back employ a "Southern strategy", desirous to secure support from Austral states by nominating judges do too much the region.^[1] Nixon unsuccessfully inoperative Southerners Clement Haynsworth of Southerly Carolina and G. Harrold Carswell of Florida, before finally next with the nomination of Destroy Blackmun of Minnesota.^[13] The course of regional diversity was bone up raised with the retirement delineate John Paul Stevens, who abstruse been appointed from the midwestern Seventh Circuit, leaving the undertaking with all but one Virtue having been appointed from states on the East Coast.^[14]

The crowd together of justices have come devour the Northeastern United States, care most hailing from New Royalty and Massachusetts.^[15] 50% of justices have come from just 6 states.^[15]

Some states have been over-represented, partly because there were few states from which early justices could be appointed. New Royalty has produced fifteen justices, brace of whom have served pass for chief justice. Ohio has succeed ten justices, including two crucial justices; Massachusetts nine (including Author Breyer and Elena Kagan); become more intense Virginia eight, including three cheat justices. There have been scandalize justices each from Pennsylvania, River, and Maryland (the latter counting current chief justice John Chemist and current associate justice Brett Kavanaugh); and five each non-native Kentucky and New Jersey.^[13] States that have produced four justices include California, Illinois (one sizeable and three associates each), put forward Georgia.

Other states from which justices have been appointed

Three justices have been appointed from U.s. (2 chiefs and 1 associate).
Three justices have been appointed punishment South Carolina (1 chief, 1 chief who was earlier chiefly associate, and 1 associate).
Three link up justices have been appointed unfamiliar Alabama.
Two associate justices have antique appointed from Colorado, including gift associate justice Neil Gorsuch.
Two correlate justices have been appointed shake off Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Northward Carolina, and New Hampshire.
One confederate justice has been appointed unearth Arizona, while another associate virtue who later became chief was born there had moved variety Virginia prior to their appointment.
One justice, who served both laugh an associate and as mislead, has been appointed from Louisiana; current associate justice Amy Cony Barrett was born and peer there, but had moved take care of Indiana prior to her appointment.
One associate justice has been ordained from Kansas, Maine, Missouri, River, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.^[16]

States cheat which no justices have bent appointed

Despite the efforts to work out geographic balance, only seven justices^[a] have ever hailed from states admitted after or during integrity Civil War. Nineteen states fake never produced a Supreme Pay suit to justice. In order of assent to the Union these are:

Foreign birth

Six justices were autochthonous outside the United States. These included James Wilson (–), congenital in Ceres, Fife, Scotland; Criminal Iredell (–), born in Lewes, England; and William Paterson (–), born in County Antrim, fortify in the Kingdom of Eire. Justice David J. Brewer (–) was born farthest from honourableness U.S., in Smyrna, in magnanimity Ottoman Empire, (now İzmir, Turkey), where his parents were Indweller missionaries at the time.^[18]George Soprano (–) was born in Buckinghamshire, England. The last foreign-born shameful, and the only one method these for whom English was a second language, was Felix Frankfurter (–), born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (now in Austria).^[19]^[20]

The Composition imposes no citizenship requirement lure federal judges,^[21] however Federal allotment law does require that a specific serving on the Federal senate be a U.S. citizen, decent a lawful permanent resident who has immediately sought to amplify citizenship.^[22]

Ethnicity

All Supreme Court justices were white and of mostly North European heritage until the shock of Thurgood Marshall, the foremost African-American Justice, in Since spread, only three other non-white justices have been appointed: Marshall's African-American successor, Clarence Thomas, in , Latina Justice Sonia Sotomayor reside in , and African-American Ketanji Embrown Jackson in ^[23]

Graphical timeline lift non-white justices:

White justices

The fullness of white justices have archaic Protestants of British, Northwestern Continent, or Germanic descent. There fake been several justices of Land or Ulster Scots descent, staunch William Paterson born in Eire to an Ulster Scots Dissenter family and Joseph McKenna, Prince Douglas White, Pierce Butler, Open Murphy, William J. Brennan Junior, Anthony Kennedy, and Brett Kavanaugh being of Irish Catholic derivation. There have been five justices of French ancestry in Bathroom Jay, Gabriel Duval, Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, Joseph Rucker Lamar^[24] and Amy Coney Barrett, gangster all except the Catholic Barrett being Protestants of Huguenot cradle. Many justices – including Can Jay, William Johnson, and Willis Van Devanter – have back number of Dutch Protestant origin,^[24] determine two Protestant Scandinavian Americans give somebody the job of serve on the court conspiracy been Chief JusticesEarl Warren^[24] final William Rehnquist.^[25]

Up until the unsympathetic, only eight justices of "central, eastern, or southern European derivation" had been appointed, and flat among these justices, five invoke them "were of Germanic neighbourhood, which includes Austrian, German-Bohemian, move Swiss origins (John Catron, Prophet F. Miller, Louis Brandeis, Felix Frankfurter, and Warren Burger)", be more exciting Brandeis and Frankfurter being scrupulous Ashkenazi Jewish descent, while inimitable one justice was of non-Germanic, Southern European descent (Benjamin Stories. Cardozo, of Sephardic Jewish descent).^[26] Cardozo, appointed to the boring in , was the twig justice who did not scheme a Northwestern European background.^[27] Both of Justice Cardozo's parents descended from Sephardic Jews from authority Iberian Peninsula who fled stop Holland during the Spanish Probing, then to London, before appearance in New York prior drop in the American Revolution.^[28] At minimum two, Abe Fortas and President Goldberg, were of Eastern Continent Ashkenazi descent.^[29]

Justice Antonin Scalia, who served from to , have a word with Justice Samuel Alito, who has served since , are birth first justices of Italian sprint to be appointed to interpretation Supreme Court. Justice Scalia's priest and both maternal grandparents bring in well as both of Charitable act Alito's parents were born descent Italy.^[30]^[31]^[32] Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born to a Someone father who immigrated from Land at age 13 and neat Jewish mother who was home-grown four months after her parents immigrated from Poland.^[33]

Among white ethnicities, according to and articles antisocial Schmidhauser, there had never antediluvian a Justice with any Slavonic ancestry.^[24]^[26] That changed in drag the appointment of John Revivalist, whose mother was of Slovakian ancestry.^[34]

African-American justices

See also: List work at African-American jurists

No African-American candidate was given serious consideration for assignment to the Supreme Court \'til the election of John Dictator. Kennedy, who weighed the plausibility of appointing William H. Hastie of the United States Challenge of Appeals for the Bag Circuit.^[35] Hastie had been honourableness first African-American elevated to great Court of Appeals when Beset S. Truman had so decreed him in , and dampen the time of the Airdrome Administration, it was widely awaited that Hastie might be prescribed to the Supreme Court.^[36] President gave serious consideration to that appointment, ensuring that this "represented the first time in Dweller history that an African Denizen was an actual contender unmixed the high court".^[35]

The first African-American appointed to the court was Thurgood Marshall, appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson in Johnson allotted Marshall to the Supreme Woo following the retirement of Shameful Tom C. Clark, saying put off this was "the right subject to do, the right generation to do it, the select man and the right place." Marshall was confirmed as require Associate Justice by a Governing body vote of 69–11 on Honourable 31, ^[37] Johnson confidently supposed to one biographer, Doris Kearns Goodwin, that a lot dying black baby boys would examine named "Thurgood" in honor a variety of this choice (in fact, Kearns's research of birth records envelop New York and Boston indicates that Johnson's prophecy did put together come true).^[h]

The second was Clarence Thomas, appointed by George Rotate. W. Bush to succeed Thespian in Bush initially wanted tote up nominate Thomas to replace William Brennan, who stepped down speak , but Bush decided put off Thomas had not yet challenging enough experience as a ref after only months on nobleness federal bench.^[38] Bush nominated Additional Hampshire Supreme Court judge Painter Souter (who is of Scots ancestry) instead.^[38] When Marshall take your leave for health reasons in , Bush nominated a new Mortal American justice: Clarence Thomas.^[39]

In , President Ronald Reagan considered nominating Judge Amalya Kearse of prestige Second Circuit Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court, on the contrary chose Sandra Day O'Connor instead.^[40]

On February 25, , President Joe Biden announced the nomination defer to Ketanji Brown Jackson to well-organized seat vacated by the privacy of Stephen Breyer, making Singer the first African-American woman expectation be nominated to the court.^[41] The Senate confirmed Jackson adjustment April 7, , and she joined the court two months later.^[42]

Hispanic and Latino justices

See also: List of Hispanic and Latino American jurists

The words "Latino" remarkable "Hispanic" are sometimes given plain meanings, with "Latino" referring cope with persons of Latin American crash down, and "Hispanic" referring to humans having an ancestry, language officer culture traceable to Spain express grief to the Iberian Peninsula laugh a whole.^[43]

Sonia Sotomayor – designated by President Barack Obama consequent May 26, , and fleshly in on August 8 – is the first Supreme Suite Justice of Latin American declension. Born in New York Faculty of Puerto Rican parents, she has been known to concern to herself as a "Nuyorican". Sotomayor is also generally considered as the first Hispanic ill-treat, although some sources claim renounce this distinction belongs to nag Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo.^[44]

It has been claimed that "only thanks to the George H. W. Shop administration have Hispanic candidates common serious consideration from presidents speedy the selection process",^[45] and digress Emilio M. Garza (considered parade the vacancy eventually given come to Clarence Thomas^[46]) was the lid Hispanic judge for whom much an appointment was contemplated.^[47] Hence, Bill Clinton was reported close to several sources to have held José A. Cabranes for well-organized Supreme Court nomination on both occasions when a court blankness opened during the Clinton presidency.^[48]^[49] The possibility of an Latino justice returned during the Martyr W. Bush Presidency, with different reports suggesting that Emilio Grouping. Garza,^[50]Alberto Gonzales,^[51] and Consuelo Mixture. Callahan^[52] were under consideration subsidize the vacancy left by greatness retirement of Sandra Day Author. O'Connor's seat eventually went concern Samuel Alito, however. Speculation get there a Hispanic nomination arose bone up after the election of Barack Obama.^[53] In , Obama right Sonia Sotomayor, a woman look up to Puerto Rican descent, to lay at somebody's door the first unequivocally Hispanic Justice.^[54] Both the National Association take up Latino Elected and Appointed Directorate and the Hispanic National Forbid Association count Sotomayor as decency first Hispanic justice.^[55]^[56] In , President Trump included Cuban-American handy Barbara Lagoa on a inventory of potential nominees to goodness court,^[57] and Lagoa was contemporaneous to be one of a few front-runners to fill the emptiness created by the death scholarship Ruth Bader Ginsburg.^[58]^[59]^[60] Ultimately, Opprobrium Coney Barrett was nominated.

Some historians contend that Cardozo – a Sephardic Jew whose old codger is believed to be criticize distant Portuguese descent^[61] – obligated to also be counted as ethics first Hispanic Justice.^[1] Schmidhauser wrote in that "among the supple ethnic groupings of European onset which have never been inconsiderable upon the Supreme Court interrupt the Italians, Southern Slavs, wallet Hispanic Americans."^[26] The National Latino Center for Advanced Studies instruct Policy Analysis wrote in rove the Supreme Court "has on no account had an Hispanic Justice",^[62] cope with the Hispanic American Almanac likewise reported in that "no American has yet sat on character U.S. Supreme Court".^[63] However, Carver and Spaeth state: "Though ask over is often claimed that maladroit thumbs down d Hispanics have served on glory Court, it is not murky why Benjamin Cardozo, a Sephardic Jew of Spanish heritage, requirement not count." They identify well-ordered number of other sources defer present conflicting views as make available Cardozo's ethnicity, with one entirely labeling him "Iberian." In , the Dictionary of Latino Debonair Rights History also listed Cardozo as "the first Hispanic entitled to the Supreme Court custom the United States."^[64]

The nomination look up to Sonia Sotomayor, widely described block media accounts as the regulate Hispanic nominee, drew more regard to the question of Cardozo's ethnicity.^[55]^[56]^[44] Cardozo biographer Andrew Playwright questioned the usage of high-mindedness term "hispanic" during Cardozo's life, commenting: "Well, I think noteworthy regarded himself as Sephardic Hebrew whose ancestors came from blue blood the gentry Iberian Peninsula."^[55] However, "no suggestion has ever firmly established wind the family's roots were, thud fact, in Portugal".^[56] It has also been asserted that Cardozo himself "confessed in that tiara family preserved neither the Nation language nor Iberian cultural traditions".^[65] By contrast, Cardozo made crown own translations of authoritative licit works written in French distinguished German.^[66]

Asian and other ethnic groups

Public opinion on ethnical diversity

Public opinion about ethnic assortment on the court "varies extensively depending on the poll question's wording".^[6] For example, in deuce polls taken in , particular resulted in half of insist on agreeing that it was "important that there always be elbow least one black person" chastisement the court while the mess up had only 20 percent common with that sentiment, and confident 77 percent agreeing that "race should never be a frontier in choosing Supreme Court justices".^[6]

Gender

Of the justices, ( percent) conspiracy been men. All Supreme Make an attempt justices were males until , when Ronald Reagan fulfilled cap campaign promise to place unornamented woman on the court,^[75] which he did with the court of Sandra Day O'Connor. Author was later joined on primacy court by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, appointed by Bill Clinton embankment After O'Connor retired in , Ginsburg was joined by Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, who were successfully appointed to righteousness court in and , separately, by Barack Obama.^[76] In Sept , following Ginsburg's death, Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to succeed her.^[77] Barrett was confirmed the following month. Sole one woman, Harriet Miers, has been nominated to the respect unsuccessfully. Her nomination to qualify O'Connor by George W. Bush-league was withdrawn under fire escape both parties, and also effectual the first time when unadorned woman was nominated to interchange another woman on the pay one`s addresses to. The nomination of Barrett was the first successful nomination idea a woman to succeed alternative woman. Joe Biden's nomination accept Ketanji Brown Jackson to keen seat vacated by the exit of Stephen Breyer makes Pol the first African-American woman finish with be nominated to the court.^[41] The Senate confirmed Jackson restoration April 7, , and she joined the court two months later.^[42]

Substantial public sentiment in provide backing of appointment of a girl to the Supreme Court has been expressed since at slightest as early as , in the way that an editorial in The Religionist Science Monitor encouraged Herbert Uncontaminated to consider Ohio Supreme Gaze at Justice Florence E. Allen place assistant attorney general Mabel Zimmer Willebrandt.^[78]Franklin Delano Roosevelt appointed Gracie to the United States Course of action of Appeals for the Ordinal Circuit in —making her "one of the highest ranking human jurists in the world insensible that time".^[79] However, neither President nor his successors over depiction following two decades gave tangy consideration to female candidates supportive of the court. Harry Truman for a short while considered appointing Allen to blue blood the gentry Supreme Court,^[80] but was dissuaded by concerns raised by justices then serving that a lass on the court "would choke their conference deliberations", which were marked by informality.^[79]

President Richard President named Mildred Lillie, then piece on the California Second Limited Court of Appeals, as calligraphic potential nominee to fill amity of two vacancies on authority court in ^[75] However, Actress was quickly deemed unqualified toddler the American Bar Association, president no formal proceedings were crafty set with respect to cause potential nomination. Lewis Powell present-day William Rehnquist were then famously nominated to fill those vacancies.^[81]

President Jimmy Carter seriously considered nominating former Judge Shirley Hufstedler resolve the Ninth Circuit Court detect Appeals to the Supreme Pay one`s addresses to, but no vacancy occurred on his Presidency.^[82]

In , a elect found that 53 percent slate Americans felt it "important turn this way there always be at littlest one woman" on the court.^[6] However, when O'Connor stepped put aside from the court, leaving Offend Ginsburg as the lone abiding woman, only one in figure persons polled found it "essential that a woman be designated to replace" O'Connor.^[6]

Graphical timeline adherent female justices:

Marital status tell sexual orientation

Marital status

All but spruce handful of Supreme Court justices have been married. William Spin. Moody, Frank Murphy, Benjamin Cardozo, and James Clark McReynolds were all lifelong bachelors.^[83] In as well as, retired justice David Souter station current justice Elena Kagan control never been married.^[84]^[85]William O. Pol was the first Justice be divorce while on the dreary and also had the almost marriages of any Justice, greet four.^[83] Justice John Paul Filmmaker divorced his first wife make a purchase of , marrying his second bride later that year. Sonia Sotomayor was the first female injure to be appointed as exceeding unmarried woman, having divorced take away , long before her slot in ^[83]^[85] Of the scandalize women who have been allotted to the Court, O'Connor brook Ginsburg were the only twosome military spouses.^[86]

Several justices have grow widowers while on the organization. The death of Elizabeth Rutledge, wife of Justice John Rutledge, contributed to the mental bad health problems that led to illustriousness rejection of his recess appointment.^[87]Roger B. Taney survived his little woman, Anne, by twenty years. Jazzman Wendell Holmes Jr. resolutely protracted working on the court contribution several years after the passing of his wife.^[88] William Jurist was a widower for say publicly last fourteen years of ruler service on the court, jurisdiction wife Natalie having died sock October 17, , after distress from ovarian cancer. With authority death of Martin D. Ginsburg in June , Ruth Bader Ginsburg became the first spouse to be widowed while ration on the court.^[89]

Sexual orientation

With compliments to sexual orientation, there review no conclusive evidence that close by has ever been an LGBT Supreme Court justice.^[90]

G. Harrold Carswell was unsuccessfully nominated by Richard Nixon in and was blameworthy in of battery for fashioning an "unnatural and lascivious" promote to a male police officeholder working undercover in a Florida men's room.^[91] Some therefore get somewhere him as the only funny or bisexual person nominated make available the court thus far.^[92]^[93] Theorize so, it is unlikely stray Nixon was aware of it; White House CounselJohn Dean closest wrote of Carswell that "[w]hile Richard Nixon was always look for historical firsts, nominating first-class homosexual to the high make an attempt would not have been collect his list".^[93]

Speculation has been real about the sexual orientation take up a few justices who were lifelong bachelors, but no tidy evidence exists that they were gay. Perhaps the greatest reason of circumstantial evidence surrounds Not beat about the bush Murphy, who was dogged timorous "rumors of homosexuality&#; all her highness adult life".^[94]

For more than 40 years, Edward G. Kemp was Frank Murphy's devoted, trusted mate. Like Murphy, Kemp was first-class lifelong bachelor. From college unfinished Murphy's death, the pair fragment creative ways to work famous live together. [] When Spud appeared to have the take pressure off future in politics, Kemp walked or moved in steps into a supportive, secondary role.^[95]

As well as Murphy's close self-importance with Kemp, Murphy's biographer, scorekeeper Sidney Fine, found in Murphy's personal papers a letter range "if the words mean what they say, refers to a-one homosexual encounter some years formerly between Murphy and the writer." However, the letter's veracity cannot be confirmed, and a examination of all the evidence dampen Fine to conclude that agreed "could not stick his peck out and say [Murphy] was gay".^[96]

Speculation has also surrounded Benzoin Cardozo, whose celibacy was nominal to suggest repressed homosexuality shadowy asexuality. The fact that blooper was unmarried and was myself tutored by the writer Horatio Alger (alleged to have esoteric sexual relations with boys) play some of Cardozo's biographers harangue insinuate that Cardozo was homoerotic, but no real evidence exists to corroborate this possibility. Fundamental law scholar Jeffrey Rosen wellknown in a The New Royalty Times Book Review of Richard Polenberg's book on Cardozo:

Polenberg describes Cardozo's lifelong devotion bordering his older sister Nell, inert whom he lived in Pristine York until her death explain When asked why he difficult to understand never married, Cardozo replied, good deal and sadly, "I never could give Nellie the second site in my life." Polenberg suggests that friends may have tense Cardozo's devotion to his nurture to discourage rumors "that of course was sexually dysfunctional, or challenging an unusually low sexual propel or was homosexual." But misstep produces no evidence to piling any of these possibilities, eliminate to note that friends, establish describing Cardozo, used words approximating "beautiful", "exquisite", "sensitive" or "delicate."^[97]

Andrew Kaufman, author of Cardozo, a biography published in , notes that "Although one cannot be absolutely certain, it seems highly likely that Cardozo temporary a celibate life".^[98] Judge Erudite Hand is quoted in greatness book as saying about Cardozo: "He [had] no trace make known homosexuality anyway".^[99]

More recently, when King Souter was nominated to interpretation court, "conservative groups expressed be about to the White House dump the president's bachelor nominee puissance conceivably be a homosexual".^[] Nearly the same questions were raised regarding primacy sexual orientation of unmarried officeseeker Elena Kagan.^[] However, no hint was ever produced regarding Souter's sexual orientation, and Kagan's materialize heterosexuality was attested by colleagues familiar with her dating history.^[]

Religion

When the Supreme Court was measure in , the first employees came from among the ranks of the Founding Fathers obscure were almost uniformly Protestant. Defer to the justices who have bent appointed to the court, 92 have been from various Complaintive denominations and 15 have antique Catholics (one other justice, General Minton, began practicing Catholicism aft leaving the court).^[] Another, Neil Gorsuch, was raised in honourableness Catholic Church but later accompanied an Episcopal church, though needy specifying the denomination to which he felt he belonged.^[] Concentration justices have been Jewish other one, David Davis, had ham-fisted known religious affiliation.^[] Three nigh on the 17 chief justices enjoy been Catholics, and one Someone justice, Abe Fortas, was out of action to be chief justice,^[] even though this nominated was withdrawn cattle the face of a filibuster.^[]

The table below shows the abstract affiliation of each of loftiness justices sitting as of July&#;^[update]:

Protestant justices

Most Supreme Court justices have been Protestant Christians. These have included 33 Episcopalians, 18 Presbyterians, nine Unitarians, five Methodists, three Baptists, two Disciples illustrate Christ, and lone representatives carry out various other denominations.^[]William Rehnquist brook William R. Day were rendering court's only Lutherans. Noah Swayne was a Quaker. Some xv Protestant justices did not fasten to a particular denomination. Magnanimity religious beliefs of James Physicist, one of the earliest justices, have been the subject revenue some dispute, as there criticize writings from various points mock his life from which proffer can be argued that fair enough leaned towards Presbyterianism, Anglicanism, Thomism, or Deism; it has bent deemed likely that he in the end favored some form of Christianity.^[]Baptist denominations and other evangelical churches have been underrepresented on glory court relative to the native land of the United States, ground entirely unrepresented since the leaving of Methodist Harry Blackmun obligate ^[] Conversely, mainline Protestant churches historically were overrepresented.^[24]

Following the seclusion poetic deser of John Paul Stevens simple June , the court esoteric an entirely non-Protestant composition shelter the first time in close-fitting history.^[]^[]Neil Gorsuch was the foremost member of a mainline Christianity denomination to sit on integrity court since Stevens' retirement.^[]^[i]Ketanji Heat Jackson is a non-denominational Protestant.^[]^[]^:&#;&#;

Catholic justices

The first Catholic justice, Roger B. Taney, was appointed leading justice in by Andrew Pol. The second, Edward Douglass Creamy, was appointed as an accomplice justice in , but besides went on to become honcho justice. Joseph McKenna was equipped in , placing two Catholics on the court until White's death in This period stained the beginning of an randomly observed "tradition" of having on the rocks "Catholic seat" on the court.^[]

Other Catholic justices included Pierce Lady\'s maid (appointed ) and Frank Spud (appointed ). Justice James Despot. Byrnes was a lapsed Catholic.^[]Sherman Minton, appointed in , was a Protestant during his meaning on the court. To sundry, however, his wife's Catholic trust implied a "Catholic seat".^[] Minton joined his wife's church con , five years after soil retired from the court.^[] Minton was succeeded by a Vast, however, when President Eisenhower right William J. Brennan to defer seat. Eisenhower sought a Wide to appoint to the court—in part because there had antiquated no Catholic justice since Murphy's death in , and be glad about part because Eisenhower was straightforward lobbied by Francis Cardinal Spellman of the Archdiocese of Newborn York to make such fraudster appointment.^[] Brennan was then high-mindedness lone Catholic justice in , but by the 21st 100 there would be six Stop justices on the court.^[]

Like Town Minton, Clarence Thomas was beg for a Catholic at the goal he was appointed to distinction court. Thomas was raised Universal and briefly attended Conception Form College, a Catholicseminary,^[] but confidential joined the Protestant denomination in this area his wife after their wedlock. At some point in dignity late s, Thomas returned should Catholicism. In , John Buccaneer became the third Catholic Leader Justice and the fourth Universal on the court. Shortly next, Samuel Alito became the one-fifth on the court, and class eleventh in the history weekend away the court. Alito's appointment gave the court a Catholic maturation for the first time spitting image its history.

In contrast analysis historical patterns, the court has gone from having a "Catholic seat" to being what heavygoing have characterized as a "Catholic court". The reasons for guarantee are subject to debate.^[] Blue blood the gentry fact that most recent Draw to a close appointees were also ideologically right has led some partisan critics to derisively refer to excellence court as "a Catholic boys club".^[] However in May , President Barack Obama nominated spruce Catholic woman, Sonia Sotomayor, attack replace retiring Justice David Souter.^[] Her confirmation raised the broadcast of Catholics on the pay court to to six, compared to one non-Catholics. With Antonin Scalia's termination in February , the enumerate of Catholic justices went tone of voice to five. Scalia's replacement, Neil Gorsuch, appointed in , was raised Catholic but attends focus on is a member of unsullied Episcopal church; it is indistinct if he identifies as precise Catholic as well as alliance to the Episcopal Church.^[] Followers Anthony Kennedy's retirement in July , the number of Broad justices remained unchanged as subside was succeeded by Catholic Brett Kavanaugh. In September , shadowing the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Donald Trump nominated alternative Catholic, Amy Coney Barrett squeeze succeed her.^[77]

Graphical timeline of Comprehensive justices:

Jewish justices

In , Chairperson Millard Fillmore offered to low-quality Louisiana Senator Judah P. Patriarch to be the first Somebody justice, and The New Royalty Times reported (on February 15, ) that "if the Boss nominates Benjamin, the Democrats clutter determined to confirm him". Nonetheless, Benjamin declined the offer, illustrious ultimately became Secretary of Circumstances for the Confederacy during picture Civil War. The first Judaic nominee, Louis Brandeis, was tailor-made accoutred in , after a violent hearing process. The appointment clone Benjamin Cardozo raised mild subject for placing two Jewish justices on the court at magnanimity same time, although the employment was widely lauded based patronage Cardozo's qualifications, and the Talking shop parliamen was unanimous in confirming Cardozo.^[] Most Jewish Supreme Court justices were of Ashkenazi Jewish declivity, with the exception of Cardozo, who was Sephardic. None remark the Jewish Supreme Court justices have practiced Orthodox Judaism from way back on the court, although Abe Fortas was raised Orthodox.^[]

Cardozo was succeeded by another Jewish helping hand, Felix Frankfurter, but Brandeis was succeeded by Protestant William Intelligence. Douglas. Negative reaction to honesty appointment of the early Somebody justices did not exclusively defeat from outside the court. Openness James Clark McReynolds, a certain anti-semite, refused to speak call for Brandeis for three years later the latter's appointment and just as Brandeis retired in , upfront not sign the customary initial letter sent to court human resources on their retirement. During Patriarch Cardozo's swearing in ceremony McReynolds pointedly read a newspaper murmuring "another one" and did slogan attend that of Felix Weenie, exclaiming "My God, another Mortal on the Court!"^[]

Frankfurter was followed by Arthur Goldberg and Abe Fortas, each of whom plentiful what became known as rectitude "Jewish seat".^[] After Fortas persistent in , he was replaced by Protestant Harry Blackmun. Rebuff Jewish justices were nominated subsequently until Ronald Reagan nominated Pol H. Ginsburg in , shield fill the vacancy created gross the retirement of Lewis Fuehrer. Powell; however, this nomination was withdrawn, and the court remained without any Jewish justices during , when Ruth Bader Ginsburg (unrelated to Douglas Ginsburg) was appointed to replace Byron Pallid. Ginsburg was followed in in or by comparison quick succession by the setback of Stephen Breyer, also Individual, in to replace Harry Blackmun. In , the confirmation hold sway over President Barack Obama's nomination ingratiate yourself Elena Kagan to the stare at created the possibility that twosome Jewish justices would serve at a go. Prior to this confirmation, conservativepolitical commentatorPat Buchanan stated that, "If Kagan is confirmed, Jews, who represent less than 2 proportion of the U.S. population, desire have 33 percent of picture Supreme Court seats".^[] At character time of his remarks, proportion of justices in the depiction of the court had antediluvian Jewish. Justice Ginsburg died fit into place , leaving only two Jews on the Supreme Court: Kagan and Breyer. Breyer announced empress retirement in , which would leave only one Jew bedlam the Court.^[]

Graphical timeline of Judaic justices:

The shift to span Catholic majority, and non-Protestant court

With Breyer's appointment in , in attendance were two Catholic justices, Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy, esoteric two Jewish justices, Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Clarence Thomas, who had been peer as a Catholic but challenging attended an Episcopal church tail end his marriage, returned to Catholicity later in the s. Cooperation the first time in righteousness history of the court, Protestants were no longer an positive majority.^[]

The first Catholic plurality lettering the court occurred in , when Chief Justice Rehnquist was succeeded in office by Dupe Justice John Roberts, who became the fourth sitting Catholic ill-treat. On January 31, , Prophet Alito became the fifth meeting Catholic justice, and on Lordly 6, , Sonia Sotomayor became the sixth. By contrast, in all directions have only been two Allinclusive U.S. Presidents, John F. President (unrelated to Justice Kennedy) abide Joe Biden, who was at one time the only Catholic to wait on as Vice President. There has never been a Jewish U.S. President or Vice President.^[]

At righteousness beginning of , Justice Crapper Paul Stevens was the particular remaining Protestant on the court.^[]^[] In April , Justice Psychophysicist announced his retirement, effective little of the court's summer indentation. Upon Justice Stevens' retirement, which formally began on June 28, , the court lacked top-notch Protestant member, marking the control time in its history delay it was exclusively composed obvious Jewish and Catholic justices.^[] Allowing in January , after digit years with no Protestant justices serving or nominated, President Donald Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch extort the court, as noted past it is unclear whether Gorsuch considers himself a Catholic steal an Episcopalian.^[]^[] Following the giving up work of Justice Kennedy, the Broad majority on the court was extended by the appointment compensation Brett Kavanaugh;^[] the appointment unravel Amy Coney Barrett increased that majority to six Catholic helpers of the court, or cardinal if Gorsuch is classified monkey a Catholic.^[]

This development led hyperbole some comment. Law school university lecturer Jeffrey Rosen wrote that "it's a fascinating truth that we've allowed religion to drop daub of consideration on the Greatest Court, and right now, awe have a Supreme Court guarantee religiously at least, by cack-handed means looks like America".^[]

Unrepresented religions

A number of sizable religious bands, each less than two proportion of the total U.S. population,^[] have had no members adapted as justices. These include Unusual Christians, Mormons, Pentecostals, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and members bequest Native American religions. George Soprano has been described as unmixed "lapsed Mormon"^[] because he was raised in the LDS Religous entity, his parents having immigrated cheerfulness the United States during Sutherland's infancy to join that church.^[] Sutherland's parents soon left high-mindedness LDS Church and moved handle Montana.^[] Sutherland himself also disaffiliated with the faith, but remained in Utah and graduated plant Brigham Young Academy in , the only non-Mormon in ruler class.^[] In , Attorney Typical Edward H. Levi had traded Dallin H. Oaks, a Prophet who had clerked for Marquess Warren and was then chairperson of Brigham Young University, translation a potential nominee for Gerald Ford. Ford "crossed Oaks's term off the list early wish, noting in the margin drift a member of the LDS Church might bring a 'confirmation fight'".^[]

No professing atheist has habitually been appointed to the dull, although some justices have declined to engage in religious liveliness, or affiliate with a heading. As an adult, Benjamin Cardozo no longer practiced his trust and identified himself as nourish agnostic, though he remained gratified of his Jewish heritage.^[]

Age

Unlike significance offices of President, U.S. Merchant, and U.S. Senator, there evolution no minimum age for Loftiest Court justices set forth sieve the United States Constitution. Not far from are also no term bounds, which may lead to Justices spending a very lengthy extent of time on the Court.^[] Appointees who are younger bulbous to spend more time pang of conscience the Court.^[]

The youngest justice by any chance appointed was Joseph Story, 32 at the time of tiara appointment in ; the initial was Charles Evans Hughes, who was 67 at the revolt of his appointment as Vital Justice in (Hughes had earlier been appointed to the focus on as an associate justice stop in full flow , at the age invoke 48, but had resigned carry to run for president). Narration went on to serve be intended for 33 years, while Hughes served 11 years after his more appointment. The oldest justice stroke the time of his primary appointment was Horace Lurton, 65 at the time of emperor appointment in Lurton died subsequently only four years on glory court. The oldest sitting offend to be elevated to Leader Justice was Hughes' successor, Harlan Fiske Stone, who was 68 at the time of emperor elevation in Stone died slot in , only five years care his elevation. The oldest office-seeker to the court was Southward Carolina senator William Smith, selected in , then aged approximately 75 (it is known guarantee he was born in , but not the exact date). The Senate confirmed Smith's oratory by a vote of 23–18, but Smith declined to serve.^[] Smith died three years afterwards.

Of the justices sitting introduce of January 19, , Obloquy Coney Barrett is the youngest, at 52&#;years, &#;days old, dimension Clarence Thomas is the first place at 76&#;years, &#;days. The head person to have served safety inspection the court was Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., who stepped selfpossessed two months shy of rule 91st birthday.^[]John Paul Stevens, in the second place only to Holmes,^[] left grandeur court in June , cardinal months after turning

The standard age of the court in that a whole fluctuates over disgust with the departure of elder justices and the appointment translate younger people to fill their seats. As of ^[update], picture youngest sitting Justice at high-mindedness time of appointment is Clarence Thomas, who was 43 seniority old at the time have a high opinion of his confirmation in Following glory appointment of Ketanji Brown Actress, the average age of birth court is between 61 mount 62 years old.

The usually age of retirement for Unexcelled Court judges is ^[]

The best ever period of time in which one group of justices has served together occurred from Noble 3, , when Stephen Breyer was appointed to replace depiction retired Harry Blackmun, to Sep 3, , the death suffer defeat Rehnquist, totaling 11 years accept 31 days. From until , justices served an average accuse years. Those who have walked or moved in steps down since have served mainly average of years. The wasteland age had jumped from comb average of 68 pre scolding 79 for justices retiring column Between and there was a-okay vacancy on the court at one time every years. In the adhere to 34 years since the one appointments in , there was a vacancy on average once every years. The accepted one-term president has had incontestable appointment opportunity instead of two.^[]

Commentators have noted that advances cut down medical knowledge "have enormously fresh the life expectancy of precise mature person of an mean likely to be considered pray appointment to the Supreme Court".^[] Combined with the reduction wrapping responsibilities carried out by current justices as compared to interpretation early justices, this results loaded much longer potential terms oppress service.^[] This has led respecting proposals such as imposing clever mandatory retirement age for First Court justices,^[] or predetermined appellation limits.^[]

Educational background

Main article: List incessantly law schools attended by Coalesced States Supreme Court justices

Although character Constitution imposes no educational training requirements for federal judges, nobleness work of the court argues complex questions of law—ranging distance from constitutional law to administrative illegitimate to admiralty law—and consequently, boss legal education has become smart de facto prerequisite to tempo on the Supreme Court. Every so often person who has been voted to the court has archaic an attorney.^[7]

Before the advent carp modern law schools in nobility United States, justices, like leading attorneys of the time, primed their legal studies by "reading law" (studying under and precise as an apprentice to finer experienced attorneys) rather than house waiting upon a formal program. The regulate justice to be appointed who had attended an actual unlawful school was Levi Woodbury, appointive to the court in Economist had attended Tapping Reeve Carefulness School in Litchfield, Connecticut, onetime to his admission to glory bar in However, Woodbury frank not receive a law regard. Woodbury's successor on the pay court to, Benjamin Robbins Curtis, who piecemeal from Harvard Law School block , and was appointed attack the court in , was the first justice to talk about such a credential.^[]

Associate justices Felon F. Byrnes, whose short possession lasted from June to Oct , and Robert H. Singer, who served from July admit October , were the last few two justices to be determined without having graduated from injure school; Stanley Forman Reed, who served on the court hold up to , was the resolve sitting justice from such a-ok background. In total, of interpretation justices appointed to the mind-numbing, 49 have graduated from statute school, an additional 18 guileful some law school but blunt not graduate, and 47 reactionary their legal education without circle law school attendance.^[] Two justices, Sherman Minton and Lewis Fuehrer. Powell Jr., earned a Magician of Laws degree.^[] Of those who attended law school, 40 attended one of three particular institutions: Harvard Law School, Altruist Law School, and Columbia Modus operandi School.

In , G. Harrold Carswell, was nominated as brush associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court – to overrun the seat vacated by Abe Fortas. During the debate blame the nomination, Nebraska Republican Romish Hruska intoned in a Boob tube interview, "Even if he [Carswell] were mediocre, there are trig lot of mediocre judges instruct people and lawyers. They wish for entitled to a little design, aren't they? We can't be endowed with all Brandeises and Frankfurters near Cardozos."^[]

The table below shows representation college and law school exotic which each of the of late sitting justices graduated: