Longest-serving Supreme Court justices
Who is the longest-serving Supreme Court justice?
William Orville Douglas is the longest-serving Supreme Court justice, with 36 years on the Court.
Ranked by years on the Court, from first commission to departure (or today, for sitting justices). Retirement / senior status ends the count.
| # | Name | Detail | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Orville Douglas | F.D. Roosevelt (D), 1939 | 36 |
| 2 | Hugo Lafayette Black | F.D. Roosevelt (D), 1937 | 34 |
| 3 | Stephen Johnson Field | Lincoln (R), 1863 | 34 |
| 4 | John Marshall | J. Adams (N), 1801 | 34 |
| 5 | John Paul Stevens | Ford (R), 1975 | 34 |
| 6 | Clarence Thomas | G.H.W. Bush (R), 1991 | 34 |
| 7 | William Joseph Brennan Jr. | Eisenhower (R), 1957 | 33 |
| 8 | John Marshall Harlan | Hayes (R), 1877 | 33 |
| 9 | William Hubbs Rehnquist | Nixon (R), 1971 | 33 |
| 10 | Joseph Story | Madison (N), 1811 | 33 |
| 11 | John McLean | Jackson (D), 1829 | 32 |
| 12 | James Moore Wayne | Jackson (D), 1835 | 32 |
| 13 | Charles Evans Hughes | Taft (R), 1910 | 31 |
| 14 | Byron Raymond White | Kennedy (D), 1962 | 31 |
| 15 | William Johnson Jr. | Jefferson (N), 1804 | 30 |
| 16 | Anthony McLeod Kennedy | Reagan (R), 1988 | 30 |
| 17 | Bushrod Washington | J. Adams (N), 1798 | 30 |
| 18 | Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. | T. Roosevelt (R), 1902 | 29 |
| 19 | Antonin Scalia | Reagan (R), 1986 | 29 |
| 20 | John Catron | Jackson (D), 1837 | 28 |
| 21 | Samuel Freeman Miller | Lincoln (R), 1862 | 28 |
| 22 | Roger Brooke Taney | Jackson (D), 1836 | 28 |
| 23 | Stephen Gerald Breyer | Clinton (D), 1994 | 27 |
| 24 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Clinton (D), 1993 | 27 |
| 25 | Samuel Nelson | Tyler (N), 1845 | 27 |
Questions
- Who is the longest-serving Supreme Court justice?
- William Orville Douglas is the longest-serving Supreme Court justice, with 36 years on the Court.
- What are the top five?
- William Orville Douglas (36), Hugo Lafayette Black (34), Stephen Johnson Field (34), John Marshall (34) and John Paul Stevens (34).
- How is this list ranked?
- Ranked by years on the Court, from first commission to departure (or today, for sitting justices). Retirement / senior status ends the count.
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Computed from the FJC Biographical Directory. Data last verified 2026-09-14. Verify against the primary source before relying.