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Roberts, John G., Jr. (1955-)

John G. Roberts, Jr., became the 17th chief justice of the United States on September 29, 2005, and currently serves in that post. Prior to becoming chief justice, Roberts served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from June 2, 2003, to September 29, 2005.

Early Years

Chief Justice Roberts was born on January 27, 1955, in Buffalo, New York. He was raised in a small town in Indiana and attended a Roman Catholic boarding high school in LaPorte, Indiana. Roberts earned his undergraduate degree summa cum laude, with a degree in history and a Phi Beta Kappa key from Harvard College in 1976. In 1979, he earned his law degree magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was managing editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Roberts began his legal career as a law clerk to Judge Henry Friendly of the Second Circuit in 1979 to 1980 and to Associate Justice William Rehnquist in 1980 to 1981. At the conclusion of his Supreme Court clerkship, he served as special assistant to the attorney general of the United States (1981 to 1982) and as associate counsel to the president of the United States (1982 to 1986). Roberts then entered private practice as an appellate attorney with the Washington law firm of Hogan & Hartson but returned to government service in 1989 as principal deputy solicitor general of the United States (1989 to 1993). In 1992, President George H. W. Bush nominated him to be a judge on the District of Columbia Circuit. However, after Bush lost the 1992 election, Roberts's nomination expired.

Having missed an opportunity to serve on the federal bench, Roberts returned to private practice at Hogan & Hartson. Having argued 17 cases before the Supreme Court while serving in the solicitor general's office, Roberts already had a reputation as an outstanding appellate advocate. In arguing 22 additional cases between 1993 and 2003, he established a reputation as one of the best Supreme Court advocates of his generation.

On the Bench

In 2001, President George W. Bush nominated Roberts for a second time for a seat on the District of Columbia Circuit, but the Democratic majority in the Senate refused to act on his nomination. When the Republican Party won a Senate majority in 2002, the president again nominated him. He was confirmed shortly thereafter.

After Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement from the Court in the summer of 2005, the president nominated Roberts to replace her. When Chief Justice Rehnquist died in early September 2005, the president withdrew his nomination of Roberts for associate justice and nominated him for chief justice.

Roberts, a Roman Catholic, is married to Jane Marie Sullivan Roberts and has two adopted children.

  • United States
William E.Thro
http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412963916.n311
See also

Further Readings

Greenburg, J. C. (2007). Supreme conflict: The struggle for the Supreme Court. New York: Penguin.
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