William Paterson
Appointed by President George Washington in 1793 and confirmed by voice vote, William Paterson was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Sources ↓
- Lived
- 1745–1806
- Appointed by
- George Washington, 1793
- Confirmed
- by voice vote
- Succeeded
- Thomas Johnson
- Succeeded by
- Henry Brockholst Livingston
Federal judicial service
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1793 | Supreme Court succeeded Thomas Johnson | 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
| College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) | 1763 | |
| College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) | M.A. | 1766 |
| Read law | 1768 |
Before the bench
Professional career before and outside the federal bench, as recorded by the Federal Judicial Center.
| Private practice, New Bromley, New Jersey | 1769-1772 |
| Private practice, Princeton and Somerset County, New Jersey | 1772-1776 |
| Assistant secretary and secretary, New Jersey Provincial Congress | 1775, 1776 |
| Delegate, New Jersey constitutional convention | 1776 |
| Member, New Jersey Legislative Council | 1776-1777 |
| Somerset County [New Jersey] Battalion of Minutemen officer | 1777 |
| Member, New Jersey Council of Safety | 1777 |
| Attorney general, State of New Jersey | 1776-1783 |
| Private practice, New Brunswick, New Jersey | 1783-1789 |
| Delegate, Federal Constitutional Convention | 1787 |
| U.S. senator from New Jersey | 1789-1790 |
| Governor and chancellor, New Jersey | 1790-1793 |
Questions & answers
- Who appointed William Paterson?
- President George Washington appointed William Paterson to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1793.
- What was William Paterson's confirmation vote?
- William Paterson was confirmed by voice vote on March 4, 1793. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.
- Which court was William Paterson on?
- William Paterson was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Sources
Each fact on this page traces to a primary public record.
- FJC Biographical Directory
- Wikidata
- Portrait: James Sharples, Sr (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
How we source & reconcile data → Data & Sources
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13 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).