Who appointed Joseph McKenna?

President William McKinley appointed Joseph McKenna to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1898.

Was Joseph McKenna appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?

Joseph McKenna was appointed by President William McKinley, a Republican. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.

What was Joseph McKenna's confirmation vote?

Joseph McKenna was confirmed by voice vote on January 21, 1898. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.

Supreme Court / Appointed 1898 / Served to 1925

Joseph McKenna

Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States

Appointed by President William McKinley in 1898 and confirmed by voice vote, Joseph McKenna was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He previously served on the U.S. Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Sources ↓

Lived: 1843–1926
Appointed by: William McKinley, 1898
Confirmed: by voice vote
Succeeded: Stephen Johnson Field
Succeeded by: Harlan Fiske Stone

Federal judicial service

Year	Court	Appointed by	Vote
1892	U.S. Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit	B. Harrison (R)	Voice vote
1892	Ninth Circuit succeeded Lorenzo Sawyer	B. Harrison (R)	Voice vote
1898	Supreme Court succeeded Stephen Johnson Field	McKinley (R)	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

Read law		1865
St. Augustine's College		1865

Questions & answers

Who appointed Joseph McKenna?: President William McKinley appointed Joseph McKenna to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1898.
Was Joseph McKenna appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?: Joseph McKenna was appointed by President William McKinley, a Republican. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.
What was Joseph McKenna's confirmation vote?: Joseph McKenna was confirmed by voice vote on January 21, 1898. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.
Which court was Joseph McKenna on?: Joseph McKenna was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Sources

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26 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).