The Ages and Political Leanings of the U.S. Supreme Court Justices
The Current Court
As of July 2023, the current Supreme Court consists of nine justices ranging in age from 50 to 74. The Chief Justice, John Roberts Jr., is 68 years old and has been serving since 2005. The youngest justice is Amy Coney Barrett, who is 50 years old and joined the Court in 2020. The oldest justice is Clarence Thomas, who is 74 years old and has been serving since 1991. Five of the Justices are members of the Republican Party (Chief Justice Roberts, Justices Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh). Four Justices are Independent (Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, Barrett, and Jackson).
Historical Context
The current Supreme Court is no different from those of the past, in that its members have a wide range of ages. In recent history, the Court has seen the appointment of several younger justices. For example, Neil Gorsuch was appointed at age 49 in 2017, and Brett Kavanaugh was appointed at age 53 in 2018. This trend of appointing younger justices is likely to continue in the future, as the Court's current members are all relatively young. The average age of the justices as of July 2023 is 59.3 years old.
Conclusion
The ages and political leanings of the Supreme Court justices are important factors that can influence the Court's decisions. The current Court is a relatively young Court, with an average age of 59.3 years old. The Court has a 50-year age difference between its youngest and oldest justices, with Amy Coney Barrett being the youngest at 50 years old and Clarence Thomas being the oldest at 74 years old. Five of the Justices are members of the Republican Party, while four Justices are Independent. These factors are likely to continue to shape the Court's decisions in the years to come.
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