How Many Chief Justices Have There Been? All 17 in Order

Seventeen people have served as Chief Justice of the United States since the Supreme Court first met in 1790. John Jay was the first, appointed by George Washington, and John Roberts has held the seat since 2005.¹

By comparison, 104 Associate Justices have sat on the Court over the same period, which gives a sense of how rare the top seat is.¹

All 17 Chief Justices in Order

John Jay (1789–1795): Appointed by George Washington. The first Chief Justice; left to become Governor of New York.
John Rutledge (1795): Appointed by George Washington. Served a few months under a recess appointment before the Senate rejected his nomination.
Oliver Ellsworth (1796–1800): Appointed by George Washington.
John Marshall (1801–1835): Appointed by John Adams. The longest-serving Chief Justice, at roughly 34 years.
Roger Brooke Taney (1836–1864): Appointed by Andrew Jackson.
Salmon Portland Chase (1864–1873): Appointed by Abraham Lincoln.
Morrison Remick Waite (1874–1888): Appointed by Ulysses S. Grant.
Melville Weston Fuller (1888–1910): Appointed by Grover Cleveland.
Edward Douglass White (1910–1921): Appointed by William Howard Taft. Elevated from Associate Justice.
William Howard Taft (1921–1930): Appointed by Warren G. Harding. The only person to serve as both President and Chief Justice.
Charles Evans Hughes (1930–1941): Appointed by Herbert Hoover. Previously served as an Associate Justice, with a gap in service in between.
Harlan Fiske Stone (1941–1946): Appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Elevated from Associate Justice.
Fred Moore Vinson (1946–1953): Appointed by Harry S. Truman.
Earl Warren (1953–1969): Appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Warren Earl Burger (1969–1986): Appointed by Richard Nixon.
William H. Rehnquist (1986–2005): Appointed by Ronald Reagan. Elevated from Associate Justice.
John G. Roberts, Jr. (2005–present): Appointed by George W. Bush.

That is the full roster drawn from the Supreme Court’s own records.²

Why Only 17 in More Than 230 Years

The number stays low because the job is held for life. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution says federal judges “shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour,” which in practice means they serve until they die, retire, or are removed through impeachment.³ No Chief Justice has ever been removed.

That structure produces very long tenures. John Marshall alone sat in the center chair for about 34 years. Several others held the seat for two decades or more. At the other extreme, John Rutledge served barely four months before the Senate rejected him.

When the seat is empty, or the Chief Justice cannot perform the duties of the office, the most senior Associate Justice who is able to serve steps in until a new Chief Justice is confirmed or the disability resolves.⁴

How Someone Becomes Chief Justice

The President nominates a candidate and the Senate votes on confirmation. The authority comes from Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, and confirmation requires a simple majority of senators voting in favor.⁵

A president can pick anyone, not just a sitting justice. Most Chief Justices have come from outside the Court. Only five of the 17 previously served as Associate Justices, and only three of those were elevated directly from the bench: Edward Douglass White, Harlan Fiske Stone, and William Rehnquist. John Rutledge and Charles Evans Hughes had a gap between their time as Associate Justice and their appointment as Chief Justice.⁶

The One Rejected Nomination

John Rutledge holds the distinction of being the first rejected Supreme Court nominee. President Washington gave him a recess appointment in 1795, and Rutledge presided over the August term and authored two opinions. That December, the Senate voted 10 to 14 against confirming him, ending his tenure after about four months.⁷ He is counted among the 17 because he did serve, briefly, under that recess commission.

The Current Chief Justice

John G. Roberts, Jr. is the 17th and current Chief Justice. President George W. Bush originally nominated Roberts in 2005 to fill the Associate Justice seat being vacated by Sandra Day O’Connor’s retirement. When Chief Justice William Rehnquist died before the confirmation process concluded, Bush withdrew that nomination and resubmitted Roberts for the top post. Roberts took his judicial oath on September 29, 2005, and has led the Court ever since.⁸

Until he leaves the seat, the count stays at 17.

1
Supreme Court of the United States. Justices
2
Supreme Court of the United States. Justices 1789 to Present
3
Library of Congress. Article III Section 1
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 3 – Vacancy in Office of Chief Justice; Disability
5
Congress.gov. Appointments of Justices to the Supreme Court
6
Supreme Court of the United States. Frequently Asked Questions: General Information
7
U.S. Senate. Chief Justice Nomination Rejected
8
Supreme Court of the United States. About the Court – Current Members