Supreme Court / Appointed 1789 / Served to 1798
Portrait of James Wilson

James Wilson

Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States

Appointed by President George Washington in 1789 and confirmed by voice vote, James Wilson was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Sources ↓

Lived
1742–1798
Appointed by
George Washington, 1789
Confirmed
by voice vote
Succeeded by
Bushrod Washington

Federal judicial service

YearCourtAppointed byVote
1789Supreme CourtWashington ()Voice vote

Party letters show the appointing president’s party, not the judge’s own. A voice vote means the chamber approved aloud. No senator-by-senator tally is recorded.

Confirmation vote

Voice vote

The Senate approved this confirmation aloud, with no senator-by-senator tally recorded. Recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989.

Education

University of Glasgow
University of Edinburgh
University of St. Andrews
Read law1767

Questions & answers

Who appointed James Wilson?
President George Washington appointed James Wilson to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1789.
What was James Wilson's confirmation vote?
James Wilson was confirmed by voice vote on September 26, 1789. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.
Which court was James Wilson on?
James Wilson was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Sources

Each fact on this page traces to a primary public record.

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8 years on the Supreme Court of the United States. Data as of 2026-08-10. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).