Supreme Court Justices

The Supreme Court Justices: Illustrated Biographies, 1789–2012, Third Edition, provides a single-volume reference profiling every Supreme Court justice from John Jay through Elena Kagan. An original essay on each justice paints a vivid picture of his or her individuality as shaped by family, education, pre-Court career, and the times in which he or she lived. Each biographical essay also presents an overview of the justice’s jurisprudence, the major cases during his or her tenure, and the justice’s relationships with the other members of the Court. Essays are arranged in the order of the justices’ appointments. Lively anecdotes along with portraits, photographs, and political cartoons enrich the text and deepen readers’ understanding of the justices and the Court. The volume includes an extensive bibliography and is indexed for easy research access.   

 New to this edition

•  Foreword by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. 
•  Updated essays on sitting or recently retired members of the court 
•  New biographies for Chief Justice John G. Roberts and Associate Justices Samuel A. Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan

• A revised listing of members of the Supreme Court with appointment and confirmation dates —as new documents have come to light, the editor has reassessed the dates of service of several of the justices

• An updated bibliography with key sources on the Supreme Court and the justices
• All-new images replace nearly one fourth of the illustrations in this edition

There is no better reference than this updated new volume for insightful background and dynamic commentary on the individuals who have served on the Supreme Court of the United States. This is a vital reference work for researchers, students, and others interested in the Supreme Court’s past, present, and future.

Editor Clare Cushman is director of publications for the Supreme Court Historical Society, a private nonprofit organization dedicated to the collection and preservation of the history of the Supreme Court of the United States. The society accomplishes its mission by conducting educational programs of interest to legal practitioners, scholars, and the general public by supporting historical research, publishing books, journals, and electronic materials and by collecting antiques and artifacts related to the Court’s history.