John Jay
Appointed by President George Washington in 1789 and confirmed by voice vote, John Jay was a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Sources ↓
- Lived
- 1745–1829
- Appointed by
- George Washington, 1789
- Confirmed
- by voice vote
- Education
- King's College (now Columbia) 1764
- Succeeded by
- John Rutledge
Federal judicial service
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1789 | Supreme Court | Washington (–) | 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
| King's College (now Columbia University) | B.A. | 1764 |
| King's College (now Columbia University) | M.A. | 1767 |
| Read law | 1768 |
Before the bench
Professional career before and outside the federal bench, as recorded by the Federal Judicial Center.
| Private practice, New York City | 1768-1774 |
| Delegate, Continental Congress | 1774-1778 |
| Chief justice, Supreme Court of Judicature of New York | 1777-1778 |
| President, Second Continental Congress | 1778-1779 |
| U.S. minister plenipotentiary to Spain | 1779-1782 |
| Negotiator of Treaty of Paris with Great Britain | 1782-1783 |
| Secretary of foreign affairs under Articles of Confederation | 1784-1790 |
| Negotiator of Jay Treaty with Great Britain | 1794-1795 |
| Governor, New York | 1795-1801 |
Questions & answers
- Who appointed John Jay?
- President George Washington appointed John Jay to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1789.
- What was John Jay's confirmation vote?
- John Jay was confirmed by voice vote on September 26, 1789. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.
- Which court was John Jay on?
- John Jay was a Chief 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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5 years on the Supreme Court of the United States. Data as of 2026-09-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).