# John Roberts *Chief justice of the United States (2005–present)* John Glover Roberts Jr. (born January 27, 1955) has been chief justice of the United States since 2005, the seventeenth person to hold the office.[^1] His approach on the bench has been characterized as primarily institutionalist, with a moderate conservative judicial philosophy, and in some cases he has been regarded as a swing vote.[^1] This article covers his career as a government lawyer, appellate advocate, federal appellate judge and Supreme Court nominee, and his tenure as chief justice.[^1] Before he became a judge, Roberts clerked for Judge Henry Friendly and Justice [[William Rehnquist]]. He joined the Department of Justice in the Reagan administration in August 1981.[^2] From 1989 he served as Principal Deputy Solicitor General under President George H. W. Bush.[^3] He later became a partner at a law firm with a leading appellate practice, and he argued 39 cases before the Supreme Court.[^1] President George H. W. Bush first nominated Roberts to the D.C. Circuit in 1992. That nomination stalled in the Democratic-majority Senate without a vote.[^1][^4] President George W. Bush nominated him again in 2001, and the Senate confirmed him in 2003.[^4] In 2005 Bush named him to the Supreme Court, first for the seat of Justice [[Sandra Day O'Connor]] and then, after Rehnquist's death, for chief justice.[^5] The Senate confirmed him 78–22.[^1] ## Early life and education Roberts was born in [[Buffalo]], New York, on January 27, 1955. His parents were Rosemary (née Podrasky) and John Glover "Jack" Roberts Sr., both devout Catholics.[^6] The family first lived in Hamburg, New York. His father was an electrical engineer at the Bethlehem Steel Corporation plant in Lackawanna.[^6] In 1965 they moved to Long Beach, Indiana, after his father was made manager of a new steel plant at Burns Harbor.[^6] Roberts attended the La Lumiere School, a Catholic boarding school in La Porte, Indiana. He was valedictorian of the class of 1973 and the first La Lumiere graduate to go on to Harvard.[^6] Roberts majored in history at Harvard College, which admitted him as a sophomore with second-year standing. He graduated with highest distinction.[^6][^1] At Harvard Law School he was managing editor of the *Harvard Law Review*.[^1] ## Early legal career From 1979 to 1980 Roberts clerked for Judge Henry Friendly on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. From 1980 to 1981 he clerked for then-Justice William Rehnquist at the Supreme Court.[^2] Rehnquist recommended him to Ken Starr, chief of staff to Attorney General William French Smith. Roberts was then named a special assistant to the attorney general.[^2] He joined the Department of Justice in August 1981, after his admission to the District of Columbia bar. There he helped Sandra Day O'Connor prepare for her confirmation hearings.[^2] At the department Roberts focused on the scope of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, particularly Sections 2 and 5.[^2] He and other Reagan administration lawyers believed both sections intruded unnecessarily on state regulation. He wrote to Friendly that it was "an exciting time to be at the Justice Department".[^2] ## Appellate advocacy In 1989 Ken Starr left the D.C. Circuit to become Solicitor General under President George H. W. Bush. He chose Roberts as his Principal Deputy Solicitor General.[^3] In that post Roberts appeared often before the Supreme Court. He argued conservative positions, including positions against abortion, against an extensive federal jurisdiction, and against policies that gave special benefits to minority groups.[^3] In 1990 Roberts won his first argument, *Atlantic Richfield Company v. USA Petroleum Company*, an antitrust case. He then won *Lujan v. National Wildlife Federation*, a standing case.[^3] When Starr recused himself in *Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. FCC*, Roberts argued in his place. He contended that the Federal Communications Commission's use of racial preferences was unconstitutional.[^3] On June 27, 1990, the Court announced that it had ruled for the FCC.[^3] Some government attorneys were surprised that the Solicitor General's office had argued against a federal agency. They discussed whether this contributed to a politicization of an office that traditionally defended the government.[^3] ## U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit On May 9, 2001, President George W. Bush nominated Roberts to the D.C. Circuit seat vacated by the retirement of Judge James L. Buckley.[^4] At first Republicans held a one-vote Senate majority. They lost it when Senator Jim Jeffords left the party to become an independent. Senate Democrats then held no hearings on the nomination.[^4] After Republicans regained control in 2002, the Senate Judiciary Committee gave Roberts a hearing.[^4] More than 150 members of the District of Columbia Bar signed a bipartisan letter supporting him. The signers included Lloyd Cutler, C. Boyden Gray and Seth Waxman.[^4] The committee voted 16 to 3 to recommend him. On May 8, 2003, the full Senate confirmed him unanimously by voice vote, and he received his commission on June 2.[^4] ## Nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States (2005) As Chief Justice Rehnquist's health declined, senior Bush administration advisors began assessing possible successors. Roberts's record as a Supreme Court advocate had drawn favorable attention from liberals as well as conservatives, among them [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]].[^5] On July 19, 2005, Bush nominated Roberts for the seat that O'Connor's impending retirement would leave open. It was the first Supreme Court nomination since [[Stephen Breyer]]'s in 1994.[^5] Rehnquist died on September 3, 2005, while the nomination was still pending. Two days later Bush withdrew it and instead nominated Roberts as chief justice.[^5] At his confirmation hearings, Roberts said he did not have a comprehensive jurisprudential philosophy. He likened a judge's role to an umpire's: "[I]t's my job to call balls and strikes, and not to pitch or bat."[^5] The Senate confirmed him 78–22. At 50, he was the youngest chief justice since [[John Marshall]].[^1] ## U.S. Supreme Court On September 29, 2005, Associate Justice [[John Paul Stevens]] administered the constitutional oath to Roberts at the White House. On October 3 Roberts took the judicial oath under the Judiciary Act of 1789 at the Supreme Court building.[^7] As chief justice, Roberts has written the majority opinion in a number of landmark cases:[^1] - *National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius*, which upheld most of the Affordable Care Act. - *Shelby County v. Holder*, which limited the Voting Rights Act of 1965. - *Trump v. Hawaii*, which expanded presidential power over immigration. - *Carpenter v. United States*, which expanded digital privacy. - *Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard*, which overruled race-based admission programs. - *Trump v. United States*, which set out the extent of presidential immunity from criminal prosecution. He also presided over President Donald Trump's first impeachment trial.[^1] Justice [[Antonin Scalia]] said Roberts "pretty much run[s] the show the same way" as Rehnquist.[^7] Roberts's decisions have been described as judicial minimalism. He has said that "[i]f it is not necessary to decide more to a case, then in my view it is necessary not to decide more to a case."[^7] ## Awards and honors The College of the Holy Cross gave Roberts an honorary degree in 2007, and he delivered its commencement address that year. In 2023 the American Law Institute awarded him its Henry J. Friendly Medal.[^8] ## Personal life Roberts married Jane Sullivan, a lawyer, on July 27, 1996, at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. They have two adopted children.[^9] Sullivan became a legal recruiter. Like [[Clarence Thomas]], she has served on the board of trustees of the College of the Holy Cross.[^9] In the late 1990s, while at Hogan & Hartson, Roberts sat on the steering committee of the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Federalist Society. He has said he has little recollection of any involvement.[^9] According to 2022 reports summarized in the Wikipedia article, Jane Roberts earned $20 million from law firms that had business before the Supreme Court.[^9] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *John Roberts* (revision 1378135025, retrieved 2026-10-26), lead section — office, characterization of philosophy, education, career outline, 1992 and 2003 D.C. Circuit actions, 78–22 confirmation, majority opinions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Roberts [^2]: Wikipedia, *John Roberts* (revision 1378135025, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Early legal career" — clerkships, appointment as special assistant to the attorney general, August 1981 arrival at DOJ, Voting Rights Act work. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Roberts [^3]: Wikipedia, *John Roberts* (revision 1378135025, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Appellate advocacy" — Principal Deputy Solicitor General appointment and 1990 arguments. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Roberts [^4]: Wikipedia, *John Roberts* (revision 1378135025, retrieved 2026-10-26), "U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit" — 2001 nomination, Senate history, 16–3 committee vote, May 8, 2003 confirmation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Roberts [^5]: Wikipedia, *John Roberts* (revision 1378135025, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States (2005)" — nomination dates and hearing testimony. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Roberts [^6]: Wikipedia, *John Roberts* (revision 1378135025, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Early life and education" — birth, family, schooling. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Roberts [^7]: Wikipedia, *John Roberts* (revision 1378135025, retrieved 2026-10-26), "U.S. Supreme Court" — oaths of office and assessments of his tenure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Roberts [^8]: Wikipedia, *John Roberts* (revision 1378135025, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Awards and honors". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Roberts [^9]: Wikipedia, *John Roberts* (revision 1378135025, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Personal life" — marriage, Federalist Society service, 2022 reporting. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Roberts