The nine current Supreme Court justices and their roles begin with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and eight associate justices: Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Federal law fixes the Court’s size at one chief and eight associates, with six needed for a quorum.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1 – Number of Justices Together they decide which cases the Court will hear, interpret the Constitution and federal law, and issue rulings that bind every court in the country.
Who the Nine Justices Are
Justices are listed here in order of seniority, which sets their seating on the bench and the order they speak in private conference.2Supreme Court of the United States. Visitor’s Guide to Oral Argument
- Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. Sworn in September 29, 2005, nominated by President George W. Bush. Previously a judge on the D.C. Circuit.
- Clarence Thomas. Took his seat October 23, 1991, nominated by President George H.W. Bush. The longest-serving member of the current Court, now in his 35th year.
- Samuel A. Alito Jr. Joined January 31, 2006, nominated by President George W. Bush. Previously on the Third Circuit.
- Sonia Sotomayor. Assumed office August 8, 2009, nominated by President Barack Obama. Previously on the Second Circuit.
- Elena Kagan. Took her seat August 7, 2010, nominated by President Barack Obama. The only current justice with no prior judgeship, having served as United States Solicitor General.
- Neil M. Gorsuch. Joined April 10, 2017, nominated by President Donald Trump. Previously on the Tenth Circuit.
- Brett M. Kavanaugh. Sworn in October 6, 2018, nominated by President Donald Trump. Previously on the D.C. Circuit.
- Amy Coney Barrett. Took her seat October 27, 2020, nominated by President Donald Trump. Previously on the Seventh Circuit.
- Ketanji Brown Jackson. Joined June 30, 2022, nominated by President Joe Biden. Previously on the D.C. Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Five sitting justices were nominated by Republican presidents and four by Democratic presidents.3Supreme Court of the United States. About the Court – Current Members
Chief Justice vs. Associate Justices
All nine justices have equal voting power on cases. The Chief Justice carries additional duties: presiding over public sessions and private conferences, assigning the majority opinion when voting with the majority, and heading the Judicial Conference of the United States, which sets policy for the entire federal court system.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 331 – Judicial Conference of the United States Associate justices vote, write opinions, and share in the Court’s collective work without the administrative role.
Circuit Justice Assignments
Each justice is also individually assigned to one or more of the thirteen federal judicial circuits. The assigned circuit justice handles emergency applications from that circuit, including stays of execution, temporary injunctions, and bail pending appeal. Assignments effective since September 28, 2022 are:5Supreme Court of the United States. Circuit Assignments
- D.C. Circuit: Chief Justice Roberts
- First Circuit: Justice Jackson
- Second Circuit: Justice Sotomayor
- Third Circuit: Justice Alito
- Fourth Circuit: Chief Justice Roberts
- Fifth Circuit: Justice Alito
- Sixth Circuit: Justice Kavanaugh
- Seventh Circuit: Justice Barrett
- Eighth Circuit: Justice Kavanaugh
- Ninth Circuit: Justice Kagan
- Tenth Circuit: Justice Gorsuch
- Eleventh Circuit: Justice Thomas
- Federal Circuit: Chief Justice Roberts
Chief Justice Roberts covers three circuits, and Justices Alito and Kavanaugh each cover two.
What the Justices Do During a Term
The Court’s term runs from the first Monday in October through late June or early July. Oral arguments are held Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from October through the end of April, with two arguments a day starting at 10:00 a.m.6Supreme Court of the United States. Oral Arguments The Court hears roughly 70 to 80 cases with full briefing and argument each term.7Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court at Work
Choosing Cases
Thousands of petitions arrive each year, and only a fraction get review. Most cases come through a petition for a writ of certiorari. Under the informal “Rule of Four,” at least four justices must vote to accept a petition before the Court hears it on the merits.8Federal Judicial Center. The Supreme Court’s Rule of Four Review is most likely when lower courts have split on the same legal question or when a case raises a significant constitutional issue.
Writing Opinions
After argument and a private conference vote, the justices issue written opinions. A majority opinion represents more than half the justices and sets binding precedent. A justice who agrees with the result but for different reasons may write a concurrence. A justice who disagrees writes a dissent. When no single opinion draws a majority, the one with the most votes is a plurality opinion and carries less precedential weight.
How Justices Get There and How Long They Stay
Article II of the Constitution gives the President the power to nominate Supreme Court justices, subject to Senate confirmation.9Congress.gov. Overview of the Appointments Clause The Senate Judiciary Committee holds hearings and votes on whether to recommend the nominee. A simple majority of the full Senate confirms.10United States Senate. About Voting Since April 2017, filibusters can no longer block a Supreme Court nomination, so a simple majority is enough to end debate and hold the vote.11Congress.gov. Senate Proceedings Establishing Majority Cloture for Supreme Court Nominations
The Constitution sets no age, citizenship, education, or legal-training requirements for a justice. In practice every justice in history has been a trained lawyer, and most have served as federal appellate judges before nomination.12Supreme Court of the United States. Frequently Asked Questions – General Information
Article III provides that justices “shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour,” which in practice means life tenure unless they step down.13Congress.gov. U.S. Constitution – Article III A vacancy opens when a justice dies, retires, or resigns. Under federal law a justice who meets a set combination of age and years of service can retire from active duty and keep a full salary.14Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 371 – Retirement on Salary Involuntary removal requires impeachment by a majority of the House followed by conviction by a two-thirds vote in the Senate. No Supreme Court justice has ever been removed through impeachment.15United States Senate. About Impeachment
As of January 1, 2026, the Chief Justice earns $320,700 per year and each associate justice earns $306,600.16Federal Judicial Center. Judicial Salaries – Supreme Court Justices
The Court’s Code of Conduct
For most of the Court’s history, the justices operated without a formal ethics code. Lower federal judges have been bound by the Code of Conduct for United States Judges since 1973, but the Supreme Court considered itself exempt. That changed on November 13, 2023, when the Court adopted its own Code of Conduct built on five core principles: upholding judicial integrity and independence, avoiding impropriety, performing duties impartially, limiting extrajudicial activities to those consistent with the judicial role, and refraining from political activity.17Supreme Court of the United States. Code of Conduct for Justices – November 13, 2023 The code addresses gifts, requires disqualification when impartiality could reasonably be questioned, and bars membership in organizations that discriminate based on race, sex, religion, or national origin. It contains no external enforcement mechanism; compliance rests with each justice.