Willis Van Devanter

Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States

Appointed by President William H. Taft in 1910 and confirmed by voice vote, Willis Van Devanter was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He earned a law degree from Cincinnati Law School (now University of Cincinnati College of Law) in 1881. He previously served on the U.S. Circuit Courts for the Eighth Circuit and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Sources ↓

Lived

1859–1941

Appointed by

William H. Taft, 1910

Confirmed

by voice vote

Education

Cincinnati Law School (now of Cincinnati College of Law) 1881

Succeeded

Edward Douglass White

Succeeded by

Hugo Lafayette Black

Federal judicial service

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

Questions & answers

Who appointed Willis Van Devanter?

President William H. Taft appointed Willis Van Devanter to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1910.

Was Willis Van Devanter appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?

Willis Van Devanter was appointed by President William H. Taft, a Republican. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.

What was Willis Van Devanter's confirmation vote?

Willis Van Devanter was confirmed by voice vote on December 15, 1910. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.

Which court was Willis Van Devanter on?

Willis Van Devanter was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

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).