Youngest justices at appointment
Who is the youngest Supreme Court justice ever appointed?
Joseph Story is the youngest justice ever commissioned to the Supreme Court: age 32, in 1811.
Age when first commissioned to the Supreme Court.
| # | Name | Detail | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joseph Story | Associate Justice, 1811 | 32 |
| 2 | William Johnson Jr. | Associate Justice, 1804 | 33 |
| 3 | Bushrod Washington | Associate Justice, 1798 | 36 |
| 4 | James Iredell | Associate Justice, 1790 | 39 |
| 5 | William Orville Douglas | Associate Justice, 1939 | 41 |
| 6 | Thomas Todd | Associate Justice, 1807 | 42 |
| 7 | Benjamin Robbins Curtis | Associate Justice, 1851 | 42 |
| 8 | John Archibald Campbell | Associate Justice, 1853 | 42 |
| 9 | Clarence Thomas | Associate Justice, 1991 | 43 |
| 10 | John Jay | Chief Justice, 1789 | 44 |
| 11 | Alfred Moore | Associate Justice, 1799 | 44 |
| 12 | John McLean | Associate Justice, 1829 | 44 |
| 13 | John Marshall Harlan | Associate Justice, 1877 | 44 |
| 14 | Potter Stewart | Associate Justice, 1959 | 44 |
| 15 | James Moore Wayne | Associate Justice, 1835 | 45 |
| 16 | Byron Raymond White | Associate Justice, 1962 | 45 |
| 17 | John Marshall | Chief Justice, 1801 | 46 |
| 18 | Samuel Freeman Miller | Associate Justice, 1862 | 46 |
| 19 | James Wilson | Associate Justice, 1789 | 47 |
| 20 | David Davis | Associate Justice, 1862 | 47 |
| 21 | Stephen Johnson Field | Associate Justice, 1863 | 47 |
| 22 | William Hubbs Rehnquist | Chief Justice, 1971 | 47 |
| 23 | William Paterson | Associate Justice, 1793 | 48 |
| 24 | Charles Evans Hughes | Chief Justice, 1910 | 48 |
| 25 | Amy Coney Barrett | Associate Justice, 2020 | 48 |
Questions
- Who is the youngest Supreme Court justice ever appointed?
- Joseph Story is the youngest justice ever commissioned to the Supreme Court: age 32, in 1811.
- What are the top five?
- Joseph Story (32), William Johnson Jr. (33), Bushrod Washington (36), James Iredell (39) and William Orville Douglas (41).
- How is this list ranked?
- Age when first commissioned to the Supreme Court.
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Computed from the FJC Biographical Directory. Data last verified 2026-09-14. Verify against the primary source before relying.