demographics supreme_court united_states demographics supreme_court united_states encompass gender ethnicity religious geographic economic backgrounds people appointed justices supreme_court certain characteristics raised issue court established years justices white male prior 20th century roman catholics appointed concerns diversity court mainly terms geographic diversity represent geographic regions country opposed ethnic religious gender diversity 20th century saw appointment jewish justice african american italian american woman day connor 21st century saw appointment hispanic justice excluded discussion spite interest court demographics symbolism accompanying inevitably political appointment process views commentators demographic considerations arise selection process gender race educational background religious views justices played little role example opinions african american justices reflected radically different judicial shared catholic faith education shared little way court female justices voted male colleagues historian writes particular female perspective opinions geographic background existence court geographic diversity key concern presidents choosing justices appoint prompted early practice supreme_court justices riding circuit individually hearing cases different regions country united_states divided judicial circuits time supreme_court justices acted judges individual circuits george_washington careful appointments justices serving time state abraham_lincoln broke tradition civil war late 1880s presidents disregarded increasing frequency importance declined arose time time example appointing president concerned controversy having new_york justices court having jewish justices brien notes rom appointment south_carolina retirement hugo black alabama exception reconstruction decade bench sixth seat reserved southern seat appointment seat reserved westward expansion led concerns western states represented court prompted appointment geographic balance sought 1970s nixon attempted employ southern strategy hoping secure support southern states judges region nixon unsuccessfully nominated south_carolina georgia finally succeeding nomination minnesota issue regional diversity raised retirement appointed leaving court justice having appointed states east_coast court majority seven justices coming states north east washington including justices born raised new_york_city remaining justices come georgia california contemporary justices associated multiple states nominees appointed serving states districts hometown home state chief justice example born new_york moved indiana age grew law school roberts worked washington living maryland states claim despite efforts achieve geographic balance nineteen states produced states represented partly fewer states early justices appointed new_york producing justices ohio producing massachusetts virginia pennsylvania tennessee kentucky maryland new_jersey handful justices born outside united_states earliest justices court included born scotland born born ireland justice born ottoman_empire turkey born england foreign born justice english second language born vienna austria constitution citizenship requirement federal judges ethnicity supreme_court justices white european heritage appointment african american justice non white justices appointed marshall african american successor white justices vast majority white justices northern european northwestern european descent 1980s justices central eastern southern european appointed background includes austrian german bohemian swiss origins justice descent justice appointed justice appointed justices italian descent appointed supreme_court appointed court justice known non northern european ancestry african american justices african american candidate given consideration appointment supreme_court election weighed possibility appointing circuit african american elevated appointed time widely anticipated appointed supreme_court kennedy gave consideration making appointment represented time american history african american actual contender high court african american appointed court appointed second appointed succeed marshall johnson appointed marshall supreme_court following retirement justice saying right thing right time right man right place marshall confirmed associate justice senate vote august johnson predicted biographer lot black baby boys named honor choice fact research birth records new_york boston indicates johnson prophecy come true bush initially wanted nominate thomas replace stepped decided thomas experience judge months federal bench bush nominated judge instead selection thomas instead replace marshall preserved existing racial composition court hispanic latino justices words latino hispanic given distinct meanings latino referring persons latin american descent hispanic referring persons having ancestry language culture spain term usually refers persons having ancestry language culture portugal specifically nominated president barack_obama sworn august supreme_court justice latin american descent born new_york_city parents known refer generally regarded hispanic justice sources claim distinction belongs justice claimed administration hispanic candidates received consideration presidents selection process considered vacancy eventually given hispanic judge appointment contemplated subsequently bill_clinton reported sources considered supreme_court nomination occasions court vacancy opened clinton presidency possibility hispanic justice returned george bush presidency reports suggesting consideration vacancy left retirement day connor connor seat eventually went speculation hispanic nomination arose election barack_obama obama appointed woman puerto rican descent hispanic justice appointed officials count hispanic justice historians contend jew believed distant portuguese descent counted hispanic justice wrote large ethnic european origin represented supreme_court italians southern hispanic americans policy analysis wrote supreme_court hispanic justice hispanic american similarly reported hispanic sat state claimed served court clear jew spanish heritage count identify number sources present conflicting views ethnicity simply labeling dictionary latino civil rights history listed hispanic named supreme_court united_states nomination widely described media accounts hispanic nominee drew attention question ethnicity biographer questioned usage term hispanic lifetime commenting think regarded jew ancestors came firmly established family roots fact portugal asserted confessed family preserved spanish language cultural traditions contrast translations authoritative legal works written french german ethnic groups represented ethnic groups represented court justice asian native american heritage person having heritage publicly considered appointment 21st century legal scholar vietnamese descent named potential nominee presidency barack_obama potential nominees included korean descent idaho attorney general member tribe public opinion ethnic diversity public opinion ethnic diversity court varies widely depending poll question wording example polls taken resulted half respondents agreeing important black person court agreeing sentiment agreeing race factor choosing supreme_court justices claimed presidents appointed justices supreme_court recent years taken race religion account causing population general current time white protestant serves court despite fact white largest single demographic group united_states gender justices men supreme_court justices males ronald_reagan fulfilled campaign promise place woman court appointment day connor connor later joined court appointed bill_clinton connor retired joined successfully appointed court respectively barack_obama woman nominated court nomination succeed connor withdrawn fire substantial public sentiment support appointment woman supreme_court expressed early editorial christian science monitor encouraged consider ohio justice assistant attorney general sixth circuit making highest ranking female world time roosevelt successors following decades gave strong consideration female candidates court considered appointment concerns raised justices serving woman court conference marked president richard_nixon named serving second district court appeal california potential nominee fill court quickly deemed formal proceedings set respect potential nomination successfully nominated fill public opinion gender diversity poll found americans felt important woman court connor stepped court leaving justice lone remaining woman seven persons polled found essential woman nominated replace connor marital status sexual orientation marital status handful supreme_court justices married lifelong addition retired justice current justice married justice divorce court marriages justice justice divorced wife marrying second wife later year female justice appointed unmarried woman having divorced long nomination justices bench death wife justice contributed mental health problems led rejection appointment survived wife anne years continued working court years death wife fourteen years service court wife having died october suffering cancer death june woman widowed serving court sexual orientation regards sexual orientation supreme_court justice identified evidence justice having sexual orientation uncovered personal lives justices nominees attracted speculation unsuccessfully nominated richard_nixon convicted battery making unnatural advance male police officer working undercover florida men room claim gay bisexual person nominated court far unlikely nixon aware white_house counsel later wrote richard_nixon looking historical homosexual high court list speculation recorded sexual orientation justices lifelong evidence exists gay greatest body evidence surrounds homosexuality adult life years devoted trusted companion like murphy lifelong bachelor college murphy death pair found creative ways work live murphy appeared better future politics stepped supportive secondary role murphy close relationship murphy biographer historian found murphy personal papers letter words mean refers homosexual encounter years earlier murphy writer letter confirmed review evidence led fine conclude stick neck murphy gay speculation surrounded suggests homosexuality fact unmarried personally writer alleged sexual relations boys led biographers homosexual real evidence exists possibility constitutional law scholar noted book describes lifelong devotion older sister lived new_york death asked married replied quietly sadly second place life suggests friends stressed devotion sister discourage rumors sexually dysfunctional unusually low sexual drive homosexual produces evidence support possibilities note friends describing words like beautiful exquisite sensitive delicate author biography published notes absolutely certain highly likely lived life judge quoted book saying trace homosexuality recently nominated court conservative groups expressed concern white_house president bachelor nominee homosexual similar questions raised sexual orientation unmarried nominee evidence produced sexual orientation apparent attested colleagues familiar dating history religion supreme_court established members came ranks founding fathers uniformly protestant justices appointed court protestant denominations catholics justice converted catholicism leaving court jewish known religious affiliation chief justices catholics jewish justice unsuccessfully nominated chief justice table shows religious affiliation justices sitting february protestant justices supreme_court justices protestant christians included lone representatives denominations court lutheran protestant justices adhere particular baptist denominations evangelical churches court relative population united_states conversely mainline protestant churches historically following retirement june court entirely non protestant composition time history catholic justices catholic justice appointed chief justice second appointed associate justice went chief justice appointed placing catholics court white death period marked beginning observed tradition having catholic seat court catholic justices included appointed appointed appointed protestant time court wife catholic faith implied catholic seat joined wife church years retired court succeeded catholic president appointed seat sought catholic appoint court catholic justice murphy death directly lobbied cardinal new_york appointment lone catholic justice appointment like catholic time appointed court thomas raised catholic briefly attended roman catholic seminary joined protestant wife marriage point late 1990s thomas returned catholicism catholic chief justice fourth catholic court shortly fifth court eleventh history court appointment gave majority time history thomas justice raised roman catholic converted different branch christianity prior serving court contrast historical patterns court gone having catholic seat characterized catholic court reasons subject debate matter intense public scrutiny majority court catholic appointment catholics accepted represents historical sea change fostered accusations court catholic boys club particularly catholics chosen tend politically conservative calls non catholics nominated president barack_obama nominated catholic woman replace retiring justice confirmation raised number catholics court compared non catholics jewish death february number catholic justices went catholic justices members roman latin rite catholic_church jewish justices president offered appoint louisiana senator jewish justice new_york_times reported february president benjamin democrats determined confirm benjamin declined offer ultimately secretary state confederacy civil war jewish nominee appointed tumultuous hearing process appointment raised mild controversy placing jewish justices court time appointment widely lauded based qualifications senate unanimous confirming succeeded succeeded jewish justice negative reaction appointment early jewish justices exclusively come outside court justice blatant anti refused speak years following appointment retired sign customary letter sent court members retirement swearing ceremony read newspaper attend god jew court followed filled known jewish seat resigned replaced jewish justices nominated ronald_reagan nominated fill vacancy created retirement nomination withdrawn court remained jewish justices unrelated appointed replace followed relatively quick succession appointment jewish replace confirmation president barack_obama nomination court ensured jewish justices serve simultaneously prior confirmation conservative political commentator stated confirmed jews represent percent population percent supreme_court seats time remarks percent justices jewish history court march president obama nominated fill supreme_court vacancy created death shift catholic majority time appointment roman catholic justices jewish justices raised roman catholic attended episcopal church marriage returned catholicism later 1990s point remaining protestant justices stevens connor remained court time history court longer absolute majority catholic court occurred chief justice succeeded office chief justice fourth sitting catholic justice january fifth sitting catholic justice august sixth contrast catholic president unrelated justice kennedy catholic vice president jewish president vice president beginning justice sole remaining protestant court april justice stevens announced retirement effective court summer justice stevens retirement formally began june court lacked protestant member marking time history exclusively composed jewish catholic justices development led comment law school professor wrote fascinating truth allowed religion drop consideration supreme_court right supreme_court means looks like america religions represented number sizable religious groups population members appointed justices include orthodox christians muslims described raised parents having immigrated united_states infancy join church parents soon left moved montana faith remained utah graduated non class attorney general listed president potential nominee ford crossed oaks list early noting margin member bring confirmation fight appointed court justices declined engage religious activity affiliate adult longer practiced faith identified remained proud jewish heritage age unlike offices president senator minimum age supreme_court justices set forth united_states_constitution justices tend appointed having significant achievements law politics young potential candidates consideration time justices appointed advanced age likely short court youngest justice appointed time appointment oldest time appointment chief justice hughes previously appointed court associate justice age resigned run president story went serve years hughes served years second appointment oldest justice time initial appointment time appointment died years court oldest sitting justice elevated chief justice hughes successor time elevation stone died years elevation oldest nominee court south_carolina senator nominated aged known born exact date senate confirmed smith nomination vote smith declined serve justices currently sitting youngest time appointment years old time confirmation beginning term youngest justice sitting years age oldest person served court holmes stepped months shy birthday second holmes left court june months turning average age court time departure older justices appointment younger people fill seats average age court years months prior death chief justice september average age appointed august average age current justices appointed years old longest period time group justices served occurred august appointed replace retired september death totaling years days justices served average years stepped served average years retirement age jumped average justices retiring vacancy court years years appointments vacancy average years typical term president appointment opportunity instead commentators noted advances medical knowledge enormously increased life mature person age likely considered appointment supreme_court combined reduction responsibilities carried modern justices compared early justices results longer potential terms service led proposals imposing mandatory retirement age supreme_court justices term limits educational background constitution educational background requirements federal judges work court involves complex questions law ranging constitutional law administrative law admiralty law consequently legal education facto appointment supreme_court person nominated court attorney advent modern law schools united_states justices like attorneys time completed legal studies reading law studying acting apprentice experienced attorneys attending formal program justice appointed attended actual law school appointed court attended connecticut prestigious law school united_states day prior admission bar earn law degree successor court received law degree appointed court justice bear associate justice short tenure lasted june october justice law degree appointed served court sitting justice background total justices appointed court law degrees additional attended law school receive degree received legal education law school attendance table shows college law school justices sitting february graduated professional background justices attorneys nearly thirds previously judges sitting justices previously served judges recent appointment justice served attorney responsible representing federal government cases court justices background criminal defense lawyers reportedly justice client death penalty case historically justices come tradition public service experience relatively justices appointed members congress members united states senate time appointment sitting member house_of_representatives previously served senate sitting governors president united_states justice held elected office day connor elected twice appointed governor financial means financial position typical described upper middle high social status necessarily urban environment member civic minded politically active economically comfortable family economic interpretation constitution united_states justices constitution beard notes developed lucrative practice directors incorporation member wilson held shares million acres respectable men virginia account family fortune source notes blair member prominent virginia family father served time acting royal governor founder president mary elected governor south_carolina time constitution state set qualification office ownership settled plantation value thousand pounds currency clear debt rose rapidly wealth power bar native state earnings day history colony developing fortune times country large nephew george_washington time younger washington appointment immediate past president united_states wealthiest men country named supreme_court personally knew president nominated exceptions typical portrait justices growing middle class wealthy example family went period childhood resulting disability father heat stroke seven sitting justices remaining close level wealth book people history united states argues justices neutral matters rich poor upper class chief justice roberts son executive justice stevens born wealthy chicago family justices kennedy fathers successful attorneys justices educated education minded parents father highly educated college professor father high school teacher long time employee new_jersey state legislature justices thomas regarded coming lower class background authority states thomas grew poverty community lived lacked sewage system paved roads inhabitants earned cents day performing manual labor depth thomas poverty disputed suggestions ample evidence suggest thomas enjoyed large middle class upbringing financial beginning required federal officials including justices file annual income assets provide wealth justices reported broad ranges year year set justices revealed potter stewart chief justice coming holdings wealthy justice report disclosed newly appointed justice day connor millionaire second wealthiest justice court remaining justices listed assets range tens thousands thousand exception reported assets investment income report justices relatively positions report connor wealthiest member court stevens millionaire justices reporting assets averaging half million dollars newest justices reporting assets revealed thomas income going report reflect holdings year indicated justices clearly thomas reported signed book deal worth million dollars justices reported holdings following ranges financial indicate justices substantial stock holdings turn affected business court holdings led justices cases occasionally substantial impact example case resulted ending split create binding precedent court unable decide case justices conflicts arising stock ownership affected companies
Demographics of the Supreme Court of the United States