User:NoSeptember/Federal judge appointment history
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[edit] future improvements
- Chart for each circuit
- Summary chart of circuit judges nationwide
- Add percentages (% GOP, % Dem)
- List circuits in order of political composition, highest % GOP to highest % Democratic
- List of circuit judges confirmed with the most votes against them (by term)
[edit] Updated Introduction
The selection of federal judges has become viewed as a political process in the last several decades. This is especially true of Supreme Court and United States court of appeals appointments. These charts show the composition of the supreme and circuit courts at the end of each four year Presidential term, categorizing the judges by the Presidential term during which they were nominated for their seat. Courts with a higher percentage of Republican appointed judges tend to be more conservative than those with many Democratic appointees, although the party of the President who appointed a judge is not always a good indicator of that judge's judicial philosophy and place on the political spectrum.
[edit] Introduction
The selection of federal judges has become viewed as a political process in the last several decades. This is especially true of Supreme Court and United States court of appeals appointments. These charts show the composition of the supreme and circuit courts at the end of each four year Presidential term, categorizing the judges by the Presidential term during which they were nominated for their seat. Courts with a higher percentage of Republican appointed judges tend to be more conservative than those with many Democratic appointees, although the party of the President who appointed a judge is not always a good indicator of that judge's judicial philosophy and place on the political spectrum.
The appointment of federal judges has become viewed as a political process in the last several decades. This is especially true of U.S. Supreme Court and court of appeals appointments. These charts show the composition of the Supreme and circuit courts at the end of each four year Presidential term, categorizing the judges by the Presidential term during which they were nominated for their seat.
Most federal courts currently have a majority of Republican President appointees. Courts with a higher percentage of Republican appointed judges tend to be more conservative than those with many Democratic appointees, although the party of the President who appointed a judge is not always a good indicator of that judge's judicial philosophy and place on the political spectrum.
[edit] Supreme Court
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
DDE 2 |
DDE 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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[edit] Court of appeals (summary of 13 circuits combined)
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
DDE 2 |
DDE 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
DDE 2 |
DDE 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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Partisan mix of the courts (ranked in partisan order) as of July 21, 2005 |
Percentage appointed by Republicans |
Percentage appointed by Democrats |
---|---|---|
8th Circuit |
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5th |
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7th |
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Federal |
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1st |
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DC |
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4th |
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Total of 13 circuits |
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10th |
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11th |
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6th |
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3rd |
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2nd |
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9th |
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[edit] First Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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[edit] Second Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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[edit] Third Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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[edit] Fourth Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
DDE 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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[edit] Fifth Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
DDE 2 |
DDE 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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Note: The 5th Circuit judges who were transferred to the 11th Circuit in 1982 are not included in the 5th Circuit numbers for 1980.
[edit] Sixth Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
DDE 2 |
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current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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[edit] Seventh Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
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current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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[edit] Eighth Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ |
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current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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[edit] Ninth Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
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current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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[edit] Tenth Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
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current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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[edit] Eleventh Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ |
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current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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Note: In 1980, the 11th Circuit had not yet been created, but the judges that were later transfered to the 11th Circuit from the 5th Circuit are shown here.
[edit] DC Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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[edit] Federal Circuit
Year | Total | Appointed by Republicans |
Appointed by Democrats |
Vacant | GWB 2 |
GWB 1 |
WJC 2 |
WJC 1 |
GHWB | RWR 2 |
RWR 1 |
JEC | RMN /GRF |
RMN 1 |
LBJ | JFK /LBJ |
DDE 2 |
DDE 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
current* |
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2004 |
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2000 |
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1996 |
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1992 |
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1988 |
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1984 |
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1980 |
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Note: The Federal Circuit was created in 1982. The judges that sat on the courts that were combined into the Federal circuit are shown in 1980 for trend comparison purposes.
[edit] Acronym Key
Acronym | President | Term | Date Range |
---|---|---|---|
GWB 2 | George W. Bush | second | January 20, 2005 - present |
GWB 1 | George W. Bush | first | January 20, 2001 - January 20, 2005 |
WJC 2 | Bill Clinton | second | January 20, 1997 - January 20, 2001 |
WJC 1 | Bill Clinton | first | January 20, 1993 - January 20, 1997 |
GHWB | George H. W. Bush | only | January 20, 1989 - January 20, 1993 |
RWR 2 | Ronald Reagan | second | January 20, 1985 - January 20, 1989 |
RWR 1 | Ronald Reagan | first | January 20, 1981 - January 20, 1985 |
JEC | Jimmy Carter | only | January 20, 1977 - January 20, 1981 |
RMN/GRF | Nixon and Ford | split | January 20, 1973 - January 20, 1977 |
RMN 1 | Richard Nixon | first | January 20, 1969 - January 20, 1973 |
LBJ | Lyndon Johnson | second | January 20, 1965 - January 20, 1969 |
JFK/LBJ | Kennedy and Johnson | split | January 20, 1961 - January 20, 1965 |
DDE 2 | Dwight Eisenhower | second | January 20, 1957 - January 20, 1961 |
DDE 1 | Dwight Eisenhower | first | January 20, 1953 - January 20, 1957 |
[edit] See also
- Supreme Court of the United States
- Potential Bush administration nominees to the Supreme Court of the United States
- United States court of appeals
- Federal judge
[edit] External links
Ideological Voting on Federal Courts of Appeals
Catexgory:Judicial Branch of the United States Government Catxegory:Politics of the U.S.