Nominated by George W. Bush
John G. Roberts, Jr.
Chief Justice since Sep 29, 2005
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Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LLC. All rights reserved.
This is not an official Supreme Court website.
Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LLC. All rights reserved.
Nominated by George W. Bush
Chief Justice since Sep 29, 2005
Born
Jan 27, 1955
Birthplace
Buffalo, New York
Took seat
Sep 29, 2005
Authored opinions
49
Majority votes
166
Recusals
0
Biography
was born in Buffalo, New York, January 27, 1955. He married Jane Sullivan in 1996 and they have two children - Josephine and Jack. He received an A.B. from Harvard College in 1976 and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1979. He served as a law clerk for Judge Henry J. Friendly of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1979–1980, and as a law clerk for then-Associate Justice William H. Rehnquist of the Supreme Court of the United States during the 1980 Term. He served as a Special Assistant to the Attorney General of the United States from 1981–1982, Associate Counsel to President Ronald Reagan, White House Counsel’s Office from 1982–1986, and as Principal Deputy Solicitor General from 1989–1993. From 1986–1989 and 1993–2003, he practiced law in Washington, D.C. He served as a Judge on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2003–2005. Nominated as Chief Justice of the United States by President George W. Bush, he assumed that office on September 29, 2005.
Oral argument analytics
Speaking time
2h
October Term 2025 · Rank #8
Questions asked
778
15.6/case · 50 cases
Speaking pace
142 wpm
17,121 total words
Engagement
185
interruptions · 50 first questioner
Term-by-term
| Term | Time | Questions | WPM | Cases | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October Term 2025 | 2h | 778 | 142 | 50 | #8 |
| October Term 2024 | 2h 21m | 875 | 149 | 61 | #8 |
Recent oral argument activity
“It seems to me that you're really asking for an equivalent of a Miranda warning ... What exactly are the elements of what they must tell the defendant?”
Authored opinions
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 91 Stat. 1626, does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.
As a candidate for office, Congressman Bost has standing to challenge the rules that govern the counting of votes in his election.
Recent votes
“We will hear argument this morning in Case 24-1238, Montgomery versus Caribe Transport. Mr. Clement.”
“I just wonder if there was some confusion between the -- the reference to 'At some point, the defense is going to want to reserve' and the court's statements that it is -- 'you've already made it in the record, so I am of the opinion that it is in the record.'”
“Well, there's a different interest involved here.”
“I understood the case to involve a dispute between whether we look to the goods or whether we look to essentially the vehicle.”
“the statutory language, is it "arriving in" or is it "arrives in"?”
Language
Words used most frequently across oral arguments and opinions.
Term
Source
Financial disclosures
Annual financial disclosure reports covering gifts, travel reimbursements, investments, and liabilities (2021–2025). Sort any column and filter by year to explore the data.
Gifts
No reportable gifts
Travel & reimbursements
| 2024 | New England Law | 7/5-18/2024 | Galway, Ireland | Taught course on The Supreme Court of the United States in Historical Perspective | Transportation, Lodging, and Meals | View |
| 2024 | United States Military Academy | 10/30-31/2024 | West Point, NY | Delivered the Ron Salvatore Law and Legal Lecture; Attended 150th Anniversary Dinner | Transportation, Lodging, and Meals | View |
Investments & trusts
Year
Showing 466 of 466 rows
| 2025 | Macrae Inc. (Common) | — | — | Buy07/31/2025 | View |
| 2024 | Lam Research (Common) LRCX Dividend | $2.5K–$5K | $100.0K–$250K | — | View |
| 2024 | Thermo Fisher (Common) TMO Dividend | $1.0K–$2.5K | $500.0K–$1M | — | View |
| 2024 | Amer. Century Gro. Inv. Class I TWGIX Dividend | $5.0K–$15K | $100.0K–$250K | Sold (part)04/12/24Up to $15K | View |
| 2024 | MetLife GVUL: Putnam VT Sustainable Leaders Fund PNOPX Dividend | $5.0K–$15K | $50.0K–$100K | — | View |
| 2024 | Vanguard Int'l Gr Fund Admiral Shares VWILX Dividend | $5.0K–$15K | $100.0K–$250K | Sold (part)05/01/24$15.0K–$50K | View |
| 2024 | Vanguard Sm-Cap Index Fund Admiral VSMAX Dividend | $1.0K–$2.5K | — | Donated | View |
| 2024 | Wells Fargo bank accounts Interest | $15.0K–$50K | $1.0M–$5M | — | View |
| 2024 | Capital One, Inc. bank accounts Interest | Up to $1K | $50.0K–$100K | — | View |
| 2024 | Caraheen Partners 1/8 int cottage, Knocklong, County Limerick, Ireland Rent | Up to $1K | Up to $15K | — | View |
| 2024 | my529 Equity - 10% Int'l UTSNX | — | $500.0K–$1M | — | View |
| 2024 | my529 Enrolled UTAWX | — | $15.0K–$50K | — | View |
| 2024 | First Eagle Global SGIIX Dividend | $50.0K–$100K | $500.0K–$1M | Buy (add'l)02/27/24$15.0K–$50K | View |
| 2024 | —First Eagle Global SGIIX - Sold (part) | — | — | Sold (part)05/01/24Up to $15K | View |
| 2024 | —First Eagle Global SGIIX - Buy (add'l) | — | — | Buy (add'l)10/14/24$50.0K–$100K | View |
| 2024 | —First Eagle Global SGIIX - Buy (add'l) | — | — | Buy (add'l)11/27/24$15.0K–$50K | View |
| 2024 | T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth TRBCX Dividend | $50.0K–$100K | $500.0K–$1M | Sold (part)05/01/24$15.0K–$50K | View |
| 2024 | —T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth TRBCX - Buy (add'l) | — | — | Buy (add'l)10/14/24$50.0K–$100K | View |
| 2024 | Dodge & Cox FDS International Stock DODFX Dividend | $5.0K–$15K | $250.0K–$500K | Buy (add'l)05/01/24Up to $15K | View |
| 2024 | Principal MidCap Institutional PCBIX Dividend | $15.0K–$50K | $500.0K–$1M | Sold (part)05/01/24$15.0K–$50K | View |
| 2024 | Virtus Alternatives CL I GAFYX | — | — | Buy (add'l)05/01/24Up to $15K | View |
| 2024 | —Virtus Alternatives CL I GAFYX - Sold | — | — | Sold10/22/24$100.0K–$250K | View |
| 2024 | my529-FDIC-Insured Static Investment Option UTSIX | — | $250.0K–$500K | — | View |
| 2024 | Tweedy Browne Global Value Fund TBGVX Dividend | $15.0K–$50K | $100.0K–$250K | Buy (add'l)04/26/24$15.0K–$50K | View |
| 2024 | T Rowe Price Short-Term Bond PRWBX Dividend | $15.0K–$50K | $250.0K–$500K | Buy (add'l)05/01/24$15.0K–$50K | View |
Non-investment income
Year
Filer
Showing 14 of 14 rows
| 2024 | Self | NONE (No reportable non-investment income.) | — | View |
| 2024 | Spouse | Macrae, Inc. -- Attorney Search Consultants -- recoverable base salary and commission | — | View |
| 2023 | Self | NONE (No reportable non-investment income.) | — | View |
| 2023 | Spouse | Macrae, Inc. -- Attorney Search Consultants -- recoverable base salary and commission | — | View |
| 2023 | Spouse | Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP -- payment from unfunded, non-qualified deferred compensation plan | — | View |
| 2022 | Self | None (No reportable non-investment income.) | — | View |
| 2022 | Spouse | Macrae, Inc. -- Attorney Search Consultants -- recoverable base salary and commission (see Part VIII) | — | View |
| 2022 | Spouse | Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP -- payment from unfunded, non-qualified deferred compensation plan | — | View |
| 2021 | Self | — | View | |
| 2021 | Spouse | Macrae, Inc. -- Attorney Search Consultants -- salary | — | View |
| 2021 | Spouse | Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP -- payment from unfunded, non-qualified deferred compensation plan | — | View |
| 2021 | Self | NONE (No reportable non-investment income.) | — | View |
| 2021 | Spouse | Macrae, Inc. -- Attorney Search Consultants -- salary | — | View |
| 2021 | Spouse | Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP -- payment from unfunded, non-qualified deferred compensation plan | — | View |
Positions held outside the Court
| 2024 | 2024 Distinguished Lecturer, Summer 2024 | New England Law | View |
Agreements & arrangements
No reportable agreements
Liabilities
| 2024 | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. | Priority Credit Line | $500.0K–$1M | View |
Additional information
2024
Part I., Line 1. Taught two-week course in July 2024, but received compensation in February 2025. Part VII., Lines 40, 78, 79. Some of the Class C shares were exchanged for Class A shares. Part VII., Line 53. The name TA Vanguard Instl Target Ret. 2020 fund (VITWX) changed to Vanguard Target Ret. 2020 Trust Select fund (VTNWX).
2023
Part VII., Line 4. The name Putnam Multi-Cap Growth fund (PNOPX) changed to the Putnam VT Sustainable Leaders fund (PNOPX). Part VII., Line 22. The name AlphaSimplex Global Alternatives CL Y fund (GAFYX) changed to the Virtus AlphaSimplex Global Alternatives CL I fund (GAFYX). Part VII., Line 49. The name Putnam VT Growth Opportunities fund (POGAX) changed to the Putnam VT Large Cap Growth fund (POGAX).
2022
Part III-B., line 1. Spousal non-investment income type clarified over prior year reports. Part VII., line 114. Reports from 2019 through 2021 disclosed spousal non-investment income from Mlegal Group, Inc. / Macrae, Inc. in Part III-B., but inadvertently omitted from Part VII a non-income-generating equity holding obtained incident to commencement of employment. Reports from 2019 to 2021 have been amended to reflect this asset.
2021
Part VII., line 11. In 2021, ownership of this property was transferred to a partnership. Part VII., lines 12, 13, and 33. Column B(1) reports all dividends through July 13, 2021. On July 15, my529 began publishing the net asset value (NAV), or unit price, for each option. Dividends and interest are now embedded in the NAV. my529 also published ticker symbols for each option on July 15, 2021, and so those ticker symbols have been added. Part VII., line 13. On July 14, 2021, my529 converted the existing "Age-Based Moderate" holding to "Enrolled" fund (UTAWX). Part VII., line 17. On December 6, 2021, Wells Fargo Absolute Return Fund changed its name to Allspring Absolute Return Fund. Part VII., line 121. This report was amended in May 2023 to reflect an equity holding in Macrae, Inc. Spousal non-investment income from Macrae, Inc. had previously been reported in Part III-B.
2021
Part VII., line 11. In 2021, ownership of this property was transferred to a partnership. Part VII., lines 12, 13, and 33. Column B(1) reports all dividends through July 13, 2021. On July 15, my529 began publishing the net asset value (NAV), or unit price, for each option. Dividends and interest are now embedded in the NAV. my529 also published ticker symbols for each option on July 15, 2021, and so those ticker symbols have been added. Part VII., line 13. On July 14, 2021, my529 converted the existing "Age-Based Moderate" holding to "Enrolled" fund (UTAWX). Part VII., line 17. On December 6, 2021, Wells Fargo Absolute Return Fund changed its name to Allspring Absolute Return Fund.