The current Supreme Court Justices are Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. and 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. The nine were appointed by five different presidents, and six were nominated by Republican presidents and three by Democratic presidents. All hold their seats for life under Article III of the Constitution, which guarantees federal judges serve “during good Behaviour.”1Congress.gov. U.S. Constitution – Article III
Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.
Roberts is the 17th Chief Justice of the United States. The Senate confirmed him on September 29, 2005, after President George W. Bush nominated him following the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist.2The White House. Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. He has now led the court for more than two decades.
His role extends past hearing cases. Roberts presides over oral arguments, manages the justices’ private conference, and assigns majority opinions whenever he votes with the winning side. He also chairs the Judicial Conference of the United States, the policymaking body for the federal court system, and issues an annual report on the state of the federal judiciary.3United States Courts. About the Supreme Court
The Constitution assigns the Chief Justice one further duty: presiding over Senate impeachment trials of a sitting president.4Congress.gov. Article I Section 3 Clause 6 Roberts presided over the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in 2020. He did not preside over Trump’s second trial in 2021 because Trump had already left office.
The Eight Associate Justices
The Associate Justices are listed here in order of seniority, which is how the court itself ranks them.
Clarence Thomas
Thomas is the longest-serving current justice. He took his oath on October 23, 1991, after nomination by President George H.W. Bush.5Supreme Court of the United States. Biographies of Current Members of the Supreme Court
Samuel A. Alito, Jr.
Alito took his seat on January 31, 2006, appointed by President George W. Bush.6Supreme Court of the United States. Justices 1789 to Present
Sonia Sotomayor
Sotomayor took her oath on August 8, 2009, after appointment by President Barack Obama, becoming the first Hispanic justice in the court’s history.5Supreme Court of the United States. Biographies of Current Members of the Supreme Court
Elena Kagan
Kagan, also an Obama appointee, was sworn in on August 7, 2010.6Supreme Court of the United States. Justices 1789 to Present
Neil M. Gorsuch
Gorsuch was confirmed on April 7, 2017, and took his judicial oath three days later. He was the first of three justices appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term.7Congress.gov. PN55 – Neil M. Gorsuch – Supreme Court of the United States
Brett M. Kavanaugh
Kavanaugh was confirmed on October 6, 2018.8Congress.gov. PN2259 – Brett M. Kavanaugh – Supreme Court of the United States
Amy Coney Barrett
Barrett was confirmed on October 26, 2020, filling the vacancy left by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg weeks before the presidential election.9Congress.gov. PN2252 – Amy Coney Barrett – Supreme Court of the United States
Ketanji Brown Jackson
Jackson is the newest justice, sworn in on June 30, 2022, after nomination by President Joe Biden. She is the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.6Supreme Court of the United States. Justices 1789 to Present
How Each Justice Reached the Bench
Article II gives the president the power to nominate justices, who take their seats only after receiving the “Advice and Consent of the Senate.”10Congress.gov. Article II Section 2 Clause 2 A simple majority in the Senate is enough to confirm. Recent votes have been close: Gorsuch was confirmed 54–45, Kavanaugh 50–48, and Barrett 52–48.
The Constitution imposes no requirement that a nominee be a lawyer, hold a law degree, or have prior judicial experience. Every justice on the current bench served as a federal appellate judge before being elevated. There is no term limit and no mandatory retirement age, which is why some justices serve for three or four decades.
What the Justices Earn
As of January 1, 2026, the Chief Justice is paid $320,700 per year, and each Associate Justice is paid $306,600.11Federal Judicial Center. Judicial Salaries: Supreme Court Justices These figures are adjusted periodically. Justices also receive the standard federal benefits package, including health insurance and a pension, though the pension rules for Article III judges differ significantly from those covering most federal employees.
Retired Justices Still Living
Two former justices are living in retirement. Anthony M. Kennedy, appointed by President Ronald Reagan, served from February 18, 1988, until his retirement on July 31, 2018. He spent thirty years on the bench and was often a decisive vote on closely divided cases.5Supreme Court of the United States. Biographies of Current Members of the Supreme Court
Stephen G. Breyer, appointed by President Bill Clinton, served from August 3, 1994, until June 30, 2022. Retirement made room on the bench for Ketanji Brown Jackson.5Supreme Court of the United States. Biographies of Current Members of the Supreme Court
A third recently retired justice, David H. Souter, died in May 2025 at age 85. He had been appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1990 and retired in 2009 after more than 19 years of service.12Supreme Court of the United States. Press Release – May 9, 2025 Retired justices no longer hear Supreme Court cases or participate in oral arguments, though they may be designated to sit on lower federal courts if they choose.