List of Chief Justices

Since the Supreme Court was established in 1789, the following 17 persons have served as Chief Justice:

Date confirmed Tenure

Chief Justice Tenure[a] Appointed by Prior position[b]
(Vote) length

October 19, 1789 Acting

September 26,
John Jay – 5 years, United States Secretary
1 1789
(1745–1829) June 29, 1795 253 days of State
(Acclamation)
(Resigned) (1789–1790)

Chief Justice of the

[d] South Carolina Court of
August 12, 1795
Common Pleas and
December 15, –
John Rutledge George Sessions
2 1795 December 28, 1795 138 days
(1739–1800) Washington (1791–1795)
(10–14)[c] (Resigned, nomination
Associate Justice
having been rejected)
of the Supreme Court
(1789–1791)

March 8, 1796
United States Senator
Oliver Ellsworth March 4, 1796 – 4 years,
3 from Connecticut
(1745–1807) (21–1) December 15, 1800 282 days
(1789–1796)
(Resigned)

1
 Date confirmed Tenure
Chief Justice Tenure[a] Appointed by Prior position[b]
(Vote) length

February 4, 1801 4th

John Marshall January 27, 1801 – 34 years, United States Secretary
4 John Adams
(1755–1835) (Acclamation) July 6, 1835 152 days of State
(Died) (1800–1801)

March 28, 1836 12th

Roger B. Taney March 15, 1836 – 28 years, United States Secretary
5 Andrew Jackson
(1777–1864) (29–15) October 12, 1864 198 days of the Treasury
(Died) (1833–1834)

December 15, 1864 25th

Salmon P. December 6,
– 8 years, United States Secretary
6 Chase 1864 Abraham Lincoln
May 7, 1873 143 days of the Treasury
(1808–1873) (Acclamation)
(Died) (1861–1864)

Ohio State Senator

March 4, 1874 (1849–1850)
Morrison Waite January 21, 1874 – 14 years, Presiding officer,
7 Ulysses S. Grant
(1816–1888) (63–0) March 23, 1888 19 days Ohio constitutional
(Died) convention
(1873)

2
 Date confirmed Tenure
Chief Justice Tenure[a] Appointed by Prior position[b]
(Vote) length

President,
Illinois State Bar
October 8, 1888
Association
Melville Fuller July 20, 1888 – 21 years, Grover
8 (1886)
(1833–1910) (41–20) July 4, 1910 269 days Cleveland
Illinois State
(Died)
Representative
(1863–1865)

December 19, 1910

Edward December 12, Associate Justice
– 10 years, William Howard
9 Douglass White 1910[e] of the Supreme Court
May 19, 1921 151 days Taft
(1845–1921) (Acclamation) (1894–1910)
(Died)

July 11, 1921 27th

William Howard
June 30, 1921 – 8 years, Warren G. President of the United
10 Taft
(Acclamation) February 3, 1930 207 days Harding States
(1857–1930)
(Retired) (1909–1913)

44th
February 24, 1930
Charles Evans February 13, United States Secretary
– 11 years,
11 Hughes 1930 Herbert Hoover of State
June 30, 1941 126 days
(1862–1948) (52–26) (1921–1925)
(Retired)
Associate Justice
of the Supreme Court

3
 Date confirmed Tenure
Chief Justice Tenure[a] Appointed by Prior position[b]
(Vote) length

(1910–1916)

July 3, 1941
Associate Justice
Harlan F. Stone June 27, 1941[e]
– 4 years, Franklin D.
12 of the Supreme Court
(1872–1946) (Acclamation) April 22, 1946 293 days Roosevelt
(1925–1941)
(Died)

June 24, 1946 53rd

Fred M. Vinson June 20, 1946 – 7 years, United States Secretary
13 Harry S. Truman
(1890–1953) (Acclamation) September 8, 1953 76 days of the Treasury
(Died) (1945–1946)

October 5, 1953[d]
30th
Earl Warren March 1, 1954 – 15 years, Dwight D.
14 Governor of California
(1891–1974) (Acclamation) June 23, 1969 261 days Eisenhower
(1943–1953)
(Retired)

Judge of the
June 23, 1969 United States Court of
Warren E.
June 9, 1969 – 17 years, Appeals
15 Burger Richard Nixon
(74–3) September 26, 1986 95 days for the District of
(1907–1995)
(Retired) Columbia Circuit
(1956–1969)

4
 Date confirmed Tenure
Chief Justice Tenure[a] Appointed by Prior position[b]
(Vote) length

September 26, 1986

William September 17, Associate Justice
– 18 years,
16 Rehnquist 1986[e] Ronald Reagan of the Supreme Court
September 3, 2005 342 days
(1924–2005) (65–33) (1972–1986)
(Died)

Judge of the
United States Court of
September 29, September 29, 2005
John Roberts 12 years, Appeals
17 2005 – George W. Bush
(born 1955) 312 days for the District of
(78–22) Incumbent
Columbia Circuit
(2003–2005)