List of Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States by time in office

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Image:Williamodouglas.jpg
13,358 days
William O. Douglas
from 1939 to 1975
Image:CJMarshall.jpg
12,570 days
John Marshall
from 1801 to 1835
Image:HugoLaFayetteBlack.jpg
12,447 days
Hugo Black
from 1937 to 1971
Image:RobertTrimble.jpg
801 days
Robert Trimble
from 1826 to 1828
Image:010 alito.jpg
1,210 days
Samuel Alito
since 2006
Image:John Rutledge.jpg
550 days
John Rutledge
from 1790 to 1791 and in 1795

This is a list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices by time in office, counted in days. The period of service for Justices ranges from William O. Douglas's thirty-six year tenure, amounting 13,358 days, to Thomas Johnson's 163-day tenure. The first date is the day the Justice took the oath of office.[1] A nominee who was confirmed by the Senate but declined to serve, such as Robert H. Harrison, or who died before taking his seat, such as Edwin M. Stanton, would not be considered to have served as a Justice.[1][2] The last date is the date of the Justice's death, resignation, or retirement.[1] A blue row indicates that the Justice is currently serving on the Court.[3]

Rank by
length
of term
Justice Length
in days
Term of office[1]
1 Douglas, William O.William O. Douglas 13,358 April 17 1939November 12 1975
2 Field, Stephen JohnsonStephen Johnson Field 12,614 May 20 1863December 1 1897
3 Marshall, JohnJohn Marshall* 12,570 February 4 1801July 6 1835
4 Black, HugoHugo Black 12,447 August 19 1937September 17 1971
5 Harlan, John MarshallJohn Marshall Harlan 12,360 December 10 1877October 14 1911
6 Brennan, William J.William J. Brennan 12,330 October 16 1956July 20 1990
7 Rehnquist, WilliamWilliam Rehnquist* 12,293+ January 7 1972September 3 2005+
8 Story, JosephJoseph Story 12,273 February 3 1812September 10 1845
9 Wayne, James MooreJames Moore Wayne 11,860 January 14 1835July 5 1867
10 Stevens, John PaulJohn Paul Stevens 12,211 December 19 1975–present
11 McLean, JohnJohn McLean 11,406 January 11 1830April 4 1861
12 White, ByronByron White 11,396 April 16 1962June 28 1993
13 Washington, BushrodBushrod Washington 11,252 February 4 1799November 26 1829
14 Johnson, WilliamWilliam Johnson 11,046 May 7 1804August 4 1834
15 Holmes, Oliver WendellOliver Wendell Holmes 10,627 December 8 1902January 12 1932
16 Taney, Roger B.Roger B. Taney* 10,425 March 28 1836October 12 1864
17 Miller, Samuel FreemanSamuel Freeman Miller 10,311 July 21 1862October 13 1890
18 Catron, JohnJohn Catron 10,256 May 1 1837May 30 1865
19 Nelson, SamuelSamuel Nelson 10,136 February 27 1845November 28 1872
20 White, Edward DouglassEdward Douglass White* 9,929+ March 12 1894May 19 1921+
21 McKenna, JosephJoseph McKenna 9,840 January 26 1898January 5 1925
22 Van Devanter, WillisWillis Van Devanter 9,647 January 3 1911June 2 1937
23 McReynolds, James ClarkJames Clark McReynolds 9,608 October 12 1914January 31 1941
24 O'Connor, Sandra DaySandra Day O'Connor 8,894 September 25 1981January 31 2006
25 Blackmun, HarryHarry Blackmun 8,821 June 9 1970August 3 1994
26 Marshall, ThurgoodThurgood Marshall 8,765 October 2 1967October 1 1991
27 Frankfurter, FelixFelix Frankfurter 8,611 January 30 1939August 28 1962
28 Clifford, NathanNathan Clifford 8,586 January 21 1858July 25 1881
29 Grier, Robert CooperRobert Cooper Grier 8,575 August 10 1846January 31 1870
30 Duvall, GabrielGabriel Duvall 8,453 November 23 1811January 14 1835
31 Stewart, PotterPotter Stewart 8,298 October 14 1958July 3 1981
32 Brandeis, LouisLouis Brandeis 8,288 June 5 1916February 13 1939
33 Bradley, Joseph PhiloJoseph Philo Bradley 7,975 March 23 1870January 22 1892
34 Fuller, MelvilleMelville Fuller* 7,938 October 8 1888July 4 1910
35 Scalia, AntoninAntonin Scalia 8,277 September 26 1986–present
36 Stone, Harlan FiskeHarlan Fiske Stone* 7,721+ March 2 1925April 22 1946+
37 Gray, HoraceHorace Gray 7,553 January 9 1882September 15 1902
38 Cushing, WilliamWilliam Cushing 7,527 February 2 1790September 13 1810
39 Thompson, SmithSmith Thompson 7,413 September 1 1823December 18 1843
40 Brewer, David JosiahDavid Josiah Brewer 7,385 January 6 1890March 28 1910
41 Kennedy, AnthonyAnthony Kennedy 7,767 February 18 1988–present
42 Day, William RufusWilliam Rufus Day 7,196 March 2 1903November 13 1922
43 Reed, Stanley FormanStanley Forman Reed 6,965 January 31 1938February 25 1957
44 Swayne, Noah HaynesNoah Haynes Swayne 6,937 January 27 1862January 24 1881
45 Todd, ThomasThomas Todd 6,854 May 4 1807February 7 1826
46 Daniel, Peter VivianPeter Vivian Daniel 6,716 January 10 1842May 31 1860
47 Clark, Tom C.Tom C. Clark 6,501 August 24 1949June 12 1967
48 Burger, Warren E.Warren E. Burger* 6,304 June 23 1969September 26 1986
49 Souter, DavidDavid Souter 6,803 October 9 1990–present
50 Hughes, Charles EvansCharles Evans Hughes* 6,214+ October 10 1910June 10 1916
February 24 1930June 30 1941*
51 Butler, PiercePierce Butler 6,162 January 2 1923November 16 1939
52 Harlan II, John MarshallJohn Marshall Harlan II 6,023 March 28 1955September 23 1971
53 Thomas, ClarenceClarence Thomas 6,424 October 23 1991–present
54 Livingston, Henry BrockholstHenry Brockholst Livingston 5,901 January 20 1807March 18 1823
55 Warren, EarlEarl Warren* 5,740 October 5 1953June 23, 1969
56 Powell, Lewis FranklinLewis Franklin Powell 5,649 January 7, 1972June 26 1987
57 Brown, Henry BillingsHenry Billings Brown 5,621 January 5 1891May 28 1906
58 Chase, SamuelSamuel Chase 5,613 February 4 1796June 19 1811
59 Sutherland, GeorgeGeorge Sutherland 5,586 October 2 1922January 17 1938
60 Roberts, Owen JosephusOwen Josephus Roberts 5,538 June 2 1930July 31 1945
61 McKinley, JohnJohn McKinley 5,305 January 9 1838July 19 1852
62 Ginsburg, Ruth BaderRuth Bader Ginsburg 5,767 August 10 1993–present
63 Baldwin, HenryHenry Baldwin 5,207 January 18 1830April 21 1844
64 Davis, DavidDavid Davis 5,198 December 10 1862March 4 1877
65 Waite, Morrison R.Morrison R. Waite* 5,133 March 4, 1874March 23, 1888
66 Peckham, Rufus WheelerRufus Wheeler Peckham 5,039 January 6 1896October 24 1909
67 Paterson, WilliamWilliam Paterson 4,929 March 11 1793September 9 1806
68 Breyer, StephenStephen Breyer 5,409 August 3 1994–present
69 Jackson, Robert H.Robert H. Jackson 4,838 July 11 1941October 9 1954
70 Burton, Harold HitzHarold Hitz Burton 4,760 October 1 1945October 13 1958
71 Blatchford, SamuelSamuel Blatchford 4,113 April 3 1882July 7 1893
72 Pitney, MahlonMahlon Pitney 3,940 March 18 1912December 31 1922
73 Strong, WilliamWilliam Strong 3,928 March 14 1870December 14 1880
74 Shiras, Jr., GeorgeGeorge Shiras, Jr. 3,787 October 10 1892February 23 1903
75 Murphy, FrankFrank Murphy 3,452 February 5 1940July 19 1949
76 Iredell, JamesJames Iredell 3,448 May 12 1790October 20 1799
77 Hunt, WardWard Hunt 3,305 January 9 1873January 27 1882
78 Wilson, JamesJames Wilson 3,242 October 5 1789August 21 1798
79 Taft, William HowardWilliam Howard Taft* 3,129 July 11 1921February 3 1930
80 Chase, Salmon P.Salmon P. Chase* 3,065 December 15 1864May 7 1873
81 Campbell, John ArchibaldJohn Archibald Campbell 2,941 April 11 1853April 30 1861
82 Matthews, Thomas StanleyThomas Stanley Matthews 2,866 May 17 1881March 22 1889
83 Vinson, Fred M.Fred M. Vinson* 2,633 June 24 1946September 8 1953
84 Sanford, Edward TerryEdward Terry Sanford 2,574 February 19 1923March 8 1930
85 Minton, ShermanSherman Minton 2,560 October 12 1949October 15 1956
86 Rutledge, Wiley BlountWiley Blount Rutledge 2,399 February 15 1943September 10 1949
87 Woods, William BurnhamWilliam Burnham Woods 2,320 January 5 1881May 14 1887
88 Cardozo, Benjamin N.Benjamin N. Cardozo 2,308 March 14 1932July 9 1938
89 Curtis, Benjamin RobbinsBenjamin Robbins Curtis 2,182 October 10 1851September 30 1857
90 Woodbury, LeviLevi Woodbury 2,172 September 23 1845September 4 1851
91 Clarke, John HessinJohn Hessin Clarke 2,170 October 9 1916September 18 1922
92 Blair, JohnJohn Blair 2,091 February 2 1790October 25 1795
93 Jay, JohnJohn Jay* 2,079 October 19 1789June 29 1795
94 Lamar, Lucius Quintus CincinnatusLucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar 1,832 January 18 1888January 23 1893
95 Whittaker, Charles EvansCharles Evans Whittaker 1,832 March 25 1957March 31 1962
96 Lamar, Joseph RuckerJoseph Rucker Lamar 1,825 January 3 1911January 2 1916
97 Barbour, Philip PendletonPhilip Pendleton Barbour 1,750 May 12 1836February 25 1841
98 Ellsworth, OliverOliver Ellsworth* 1,742 March 8 1796December 15 1800
99 Lurton, Horace HarmonHorace Harmon Lurton 1,651 January 3 1910July 12 1914
100 Moody, William HenryWilliam Henry Moody 1,434 December 17 1906November 20 1910
101 Moore, AlfredAlfred Moore 1,375 April 21 1800January 26 1804
102 Fortas, AbeAbe Fortas 1,318 October 4 1965May 14 1969
103 Goldberg, Arthur JosephArthur Joseph Goldberg 1,028 October 1 1962July 25 1965
104 Jackson, Howell EdmundsHowell Edmunds Jackson 887 March 4 1893August 8 1895
105 Roberts, JohnJohn Roberts* 1,334 September 29 2005–present
106 Trimble, RobertRobert Trimble 801 June 16 1826August 25 1828
107 Alito, SamuelSamuel Alito 1,210 January 31 2006–present
108 Rutledge, JohnJohn Rutledge* 550+ February 15 1790March 5 1791
July 1 1795December 15 1795*
109 Byrnes, James F.James F. Byrnes 452 July 8 1941October 3 1942
110 Johnson, ThomasThomas Johnson 163 August 6 1792January 16 1793

*Chief Justice
+Term as Associate Justice and Chief Justice combined


[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Members of the Supreme Court from the Supreme Court of the United States (PDF). Official website of the Supreme Court of the United States. Retrieved on December 27, 2007.
  2. ^ Stanton took the oath of office on his death bed, but according to the Supreme Court Historical Society, he never took "the necessary steps toward becoming a Member of the Court."
  3. ^ Judges of the United States Courts. Official website of the Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved on December 27, 2007.

[edit] See also

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