Every Supreme Court seat, 1789 to today

Each row is a seat. Bars are justices' tenures; hatched gaps are vacancies, from the day one justice left to the day the next took the oath. Rows start and end where Congress created or abolished a seat. Drag the date to see the Court on any day.

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Seated Seats

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Two appointments

William H. Rehnquist

Born October 1, 1924, Milwaukee, WI
Died September 3, 2005

Chief Justice

Served: September 26, 1986 – September 3, 2005 (18 years, 11 months)
Appointed by: Ronald Reagan (Republican)
Left the seat: Died in office
Seat: Chief Justice
Predecessor: Warren Earl Burger
Successor: John G. Roberts, Jr.

Appointment record

June 20, 1986 Nominated
September 17, 1986 Confirmed (65–33)
September 25, 1986 Commissioned
September 26, 1986 Judicial oath
September 3, 2005 Died in office

Associate Justice, Seat 10

Served: January 7, 1972 – September 26, 1986 (14 years, 8 months)
Appointed by: Richard M. Nixon (Republican)
Left the seat: Elevated to Chief Justice
Seat: Associate Seat 10
Predecessor: John Marshall Harlan II
Successor: Antonin Scalia

Appointment record

October 22, 1971 Nominated
December 10, 1971 Confirmed (68–26)
December 15, 1971 Commissioned
January 7, 1972 Judicial oath
September 26, 1986 Elevated to Chief Justice