John Roberts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Roberts
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Official portrait, 2005
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| 17th Chief Justice of the United States | |
| Assumed office September 29, 2005 |
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| Nominated by | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | William Rehnquist |
| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | |
| In office June 2, 2003 – September 29, 2005 |
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| Nominated by | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | James L. Buckley |
| Succeeded by | Patricia Millett |
| Principal Deputy Solicitor General of the States | |
| In office October 24, 1989 – January 20, 1993 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Donald B. Ayer |
| Succeeded by | Paul Bender |
| Associate Counsel to the President | |
| In office November 28, 1982 – April 11, 1986 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | J. Michael Luttig |
| Succeeded by | Robert Kruger |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Glover Roberts Jr.
January 27, 1955 Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Jane Sullivan
(m. 1996) |
| Children | 2 (adopted) |
| Education | Harvard University (BA, JD) |
| Awards | Henry J. Friendly Medal (2023) |
| Signature |  |
John Glover Roberts Jr. (born January 27, 1955) is an American lawyer and judge. Since 2005, he has served as the 17th chief justice of the United States. He is known for having a moderate conservative approach to law. He is often seen as a swing vote in some cases. Roberts has led the Supreme Court as it has moved towards more conservative legal ideas. He has also written important legal opinions.
Born in Buffalo, New York, Roberts grew up Catholic in Northwest Indiana. He studied at Harvard University, first planning to be a historian. He finished college in three years with high honors. Then, he went to Harvard Law School, where he helped edit the Harvard Law Review. Before working for the Reagan and Bush administrations, Roberts worked as a law clerk for Judge Henry Friendly and Justice William Rehnquist. From 1989 to 1993, he was the Principal Deputy Solicitor General. After that, he became a top lawyer for appeals, arguing 39 cases before the Supreme Court.
In 1992, President George H. W. Bush nominated Roberts to be a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. However, the Senate did not vote on his approval. In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed Roberts to the D.C. Circuit. In 2005, Bush nominated Roberts to the Supreme Court. He was first nominated as an associate justice to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. But after Chief Justice Rehnquist died, Bush nominated Roberts to be the chief justice instead. The Senate approved Roberts with a vote of 78–22. He became the youngest person to hold the position since John Marshall.
As chief justice, Roberts has written the main opinions in many important cases. These include National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (which mostly upheld the Affordable Care Act). He also wrote opinions for Shelby County v. Holder (which limited parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965). Other cases include Trump v. Hawaii (which gave presidents more power over immigration). He also wrote for Carpenter v. United States (which increased digital privacy). More recently, he wrote for Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (which ended race-based admission programs). He also wrote for Trump v. United States (which explained how much a president is protected from criminal charges). Roberts also led the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. He later swore him into office in January 2025.
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Early Life and Education
John Glover Roberts Jr. was born on January 27, 1955, in Buffalo, New York. His parents were Rosemary and John Glover "Jack" Roberts Sr. He has three sisters: Kathy, Peggy, and Barbara. John spent his early childhood in Hamburg, New York. His father worked there as an electrical engineer for a steel company.
In 1965, when Roberts was ten, his family moved to Long Beach, Indiana. His father became a manager at a new steel plant nearby. Roberts went to La Lumiere School. This was a small, strict Catholic boarding school in La Porte, Indiana. He was the captain of the school’s football team. He was also a regional champion in wrestling. He sang in the choir and acted in drama. He also helped edit the school newspaper. He graduated at the top of his class in 1973.
Roberts then studied history at Harvard University. He started as a second-year student because of his strong high school grades. One of his first papers won an award for the best essay by a history student. In his last year, another paper won a Bowdoin Prize. Every summer, he went home to work at the steel plant his father managed. He graduated in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude (with highest honors). He was also chosen for Phi Beta Kappa, a top academic honor society.
Roberts first planned to get a Ph.D. in history. But he decided to go to Harvard Law School instead. He became a managing editor of the Harvard Law Review. He graduated in 1979 with a J.D. (law degree), magna cum laude (with great honors).
Early Legal Career
After law school, Roberts worked as a law clerk. From 1979 to 1980, he worked for Judge Henry Friendly. Judge Friendly was on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Then, from 1980 to 1981, he worked for Justice William Rehnquist at the U.S. Supreme Court. Rehnquist later became chief justice in 1986.
After his clerkships, Roberts started working for the U.S. government. This was during President Ronald Reagan's time in office. From 1981 to 1982, he was a special assistant to U.S. Attorney General William French Smith. From 1982 to 1986, he was an associate with the White House Counsel. After that, he worked as a private lawyer in Washington, D.C.. He joined the law firm Hogan & Hartson and worked in corporate law.
In 1989, Roberts joined President George H. W. Bush's administration. He became the Principal Deputy Solicitor General. He served as the acting solicitor general for the case of Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. FCC. In this case, Roberts argued against rules that aimed to increase minority ownership of broadcast licenses. He said these rules were unfair. In 1992, President Bush nominated Roberts to be a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. However, the Senate did not vote on his nomination.
After President Bush lost the 1992 election, Roberts left government work. He returned to Hogan & Hartson as a partner. He became the head of the firm's appeals practice. He also taught as a professor at Georgetown University Law Center. During this time, Roberts argued 39 cases before the Supreme Court. He won 25 of them. He represented 19 states in the case United States v. Microsoft.
In the late 1990s, Roberts was part of a conservative legal group called the Federalist Society. In 2000, he advised Jeb Bush, who was then the governor of Florida. This was about Bush's actions during the Florida election recount in the 2000 presidential election.
Arguing Cases in Court
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In 1989, Ken Starr became the U.S. Solicitor General. He chose Roberts to be his deputy. Roberts became a well-known figure at the Supreme Court. He led the legal filings for the Bush administration.
As deputy solicitor general, Roberts often appeared before the Supreme Court. In 1990, he won his first case, Atlantic Richfield Company v. USA Petroleum Company. This case was about anti-trust law. He also won Lujan v. National Wildlife Federation, which was an important case about who has the right to sue. When Starr could not argue in Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. FCC, Roberts took his place. He argued that the use of racial preferences by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was unconstitutional. The Court did not agree with him.
In January 1993, Roberts went back to Hogan and Hartson. He became very successful as a lawyer there. He regularly appeared before the Supreme Court again. He was known as a top lawyer for Supreme Court cases. Roberts often represented companies that sued individuals or the government. He argued 18 Supreme Court cases from 1993 to 2003. He also worked on cases for free (pro bono).
In 1995, the Supreme Court changed its mind about the Metro Broadcasting case. This was good news for Roberts. The Court ruled that the government must treat people as individuals. The next year, he helped gay rights activists in the important case of Romer v. Evans (1996). During the 2000 presidential election, Roberts went to Florida to help George W. Bush. He was known for his strong arguments and careful preparation. Lawyers from both major political parties saw Roberts as one of the best lawyers for the Supreme Court.
Judge on the D.C. Circuit Court
When George W. Bush won the 2000 presidential election, people wondered who he might choose for the Supreme Court. Roberts was a strong candidate to be nominated again to the D.C. Circuit Court. This court is often a stepping stone for Supreme Court judges.
On May 9, 2001, Bush nominated Roberts to be a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This time, Republicans had a small majority in the Senate. But they soon lost it, which put Roberts's nomination at risk. It was delayed again when Senate Democrats refused to hold hearings. In 2002, Republicans gained control of the Senate again. Roberts finally had a hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
More than 150 lawyers from Washington, D.C., supported Roberts. The Judiciary Committee approved him by a vote of 16 to 3. The Senate then confirmed him unanimously on May 8, 2003. On June 2, he officially became a judge. Even before he fully started, White House staff listed him as a possible Supreme Court candidate.
Roberts wrote 49 opinions during his two years on the D.C. Circuit. Many of these were about decisions made by government agencies. His opinions were often clear and easy to understand. Most of the cases he reviewed were about government rules and workers' rights. He also wrote about environmental law and criminal law. His decisions usually showed a conservative legal approach.
Becoming Chief Justice of the United States
By the time of the 2004 presidential election, Chief Justice Rehnquist was very ill. President Bush's advisors started looking for people to replace him. Roberts stood out because he had a lot of experience arguing cases at the Supreme Court. Both conservatives and liberals, like Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, thought highly of him.
On July 19, 2005, President Bush nominated Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court. He was meant to fill the spot left by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who was retiring. This was the first Supreme Court nomination since 1994. On September 3, 2005, while Roberts was waiting to be confirmed, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist died. Two days later, Bush changed his mind. He withdrew Roberts's nomination for O'Connor's spot. Instead, he nominated Roberts to become the new chief justice.
What Roberts Said About His Legal Views
During his confirmation hearings, Roberts said he did not have one big legal philosophy. He said he thought it was best to interpret the Constitution faithfully. Roberts compared judges to baseball umpires. He said, "it's my job to call balls and strikes, and not to pitch or bat." This meant judges should apply the law, not make new laws.
Following Past Decisions
Roberts talked about stare decisis. This is a legal idea that means courts should follow past decisions. He mentioned Brown v. Board of Education, which ended school segregation. He said that case overturned an older decision. He explained that if a decision is wrong, it should be overturned. He said this is not "judicial activism" but applying the law correctly.
Roe v. Wade
At his hearing, Roberts said that legal papers he signed earlier showed the views of the administration he worked for, not necessarily his own. As a lawyer for the George H. W. Bush administration, Roberts signed a paper asking the court to overturn Roe v. Wade.
In private meetings with senators, Roberts said Roe was "settled law." But he added that it was subject to stare decisis. This means the Court should consider past decisions, but it is not always forced to keep them.
Confirmation
On September 22, 2005, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Roberts's nomination. The vote was 13–5. The full Senate confirmed Roberts on September 29 by a vote of 78–22. All Republicans and one Independent voted for him. Democrats were split, with 22 voting for and 22 against. Roberts was confirmed by a closer vote than many past Supreme Court justices.
U.S. Supreme Court
Roberts took his Constitutional oath of office on September 29, 2005. Justice John Paul Stevens gave him the oath at the White House. On October 3, he took the judicial oath at the United States Supreme Court building.
Justice Antonin Scalia said Roberts runs the Court much like the previous chief justice. Roberts is known for his clear and often funny writing style.
Judge Diane Sykes said Roberts's legal approach follows traditional methods. He respects the law's text, history, and structure. He tries to limit judicial power and keep judges from making too many decisions. Roberts has said that if it's not necessary to decide more in a case, then it's necessary not to. This shows he wants to keep the Court's power and independence strong.
In November 2018, Roberts responded to President Donald Trump calling a judge an "Obama judge." Roberts said, "We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them." This was seen as a strong message to Trump. As chief justice, Roberts led the first impeachment trial of Donald Trump. This trial began on January 16 and ended on February 5, 2020. Roberts did not lead Trump's second impeachment trial. He believed the Constitution only requires the chief justice to lead trials for a sitting president, not a former one.
Roberts's legal views are conservative. However, he is seen as more moderate than his predecessor, William Rehnquist. For example, Roberts voted to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). This was different from how the previous Court might have voted. Roberts also seems to want more agreement among the justices. At first, Roberts often voted like Justice Samuel Alito. But more recently, his votes have been more like Justice Brett Kavanaugh's, who is seen as more moderate.
Presidential Power
On June 26, 2018, Roberts wrote the main opinion in Trump v. Hawaii. This decision upheld the Trump administration's travel ban. The ban affected people from seven nations, most of which had a Muslim majority. Roberts wrote that the president has wide power to stop non-citizens from entering the country. He also said the travel ban did not violate religious freedom.
On July 9, 2020, Roberts wrote the main opinion in Trump v. Vance. This case was about whether a president is immune from criminal subpoenas for personal information. He said that in the U.S. legal system, "the public has a right to every man's evidence." He added that "every man" includes the President.
On July 1, 2024, Roberts wrote the main opinion in Trump v. United States. He wrote that a president has complete protection from criminal charges for actions done as president within their official duties. They have presumed protection for other official acts. But they have no protection for unofficial acts. Roberts said this balance is important. It helps make sure criminal laws are enforced fairly. It also makes sure a president can make decisions without fear of charges for official acts.
Campaign Finance
Roberts wrote the opinion in the 2007 case FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc.. This decision said that parts of a law limiting political advertising were unconstitutional.
In 2010, Roberts joined the Court's opinion in Citizens United v. FEC. This decision struck down parts of a law that limited how much money unions and companies could spend on political advertising. Roberts wrote his own opinion to explain why he agreed. He talked about the important ideas of judicial restraint and stare decisis.
Roberts wrote the main opinion in the 2014 case McCutcheon v. FEC. This case said that limits on the total amount a person can give to different political candidates or parties were against the First Amendment.
In 2015, Roberts joined the more liberal justices in Williams-Yulee v. Florida Bar. This case said that the First Amendment does not stop states from preventing judges from asking for money for their election campaigns. Roberts wrote that this rule helps keep judges fair.
In 2021, the Supreme Court decided Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta. This case said that California's rule for charities to share donor names was against the First Amendment. Roberts wrote that California's rule was too broad.
Fourth Amendment
Roberts wrote his first disagreement in Georgia v. Randolph (2006). The Court's decision said police could not search a home if one person living there said no, even if another person said yes. Roberts said this decision did not fit with past cases.
In Utah v. Strieff (2016), Roberts joined the majority. The Court ruled that if a person has an arrest warrant, they can be arrested and searched. Any evidence found can be used in court. This is true even if the police stopped the person unlawfully at first.
In Carpenter v. United States (2018), Roberts wrote the main opinion in a 5–4 ruling. This was an important decision about cell phone data privacy. The Court said that police generally need a warrant to search cell phone data.
Capital Punishment
On November 4, 2016, Roberts cast the deciding vote in a 5–3 decision. This decision stopped an execution from happening. On February 7, 2019, he was part of the majority in a 5–4 decision. This decision rejected a Muslim inmate's request to delay execution to have a religious leader present. Also in February 2019, Roberts sided with other justices in a 6–3 decision. This decision blocked the execution of a man with an "intellectual disability" in Texas.
Affirmative Action
Roberts does not support using race to assign students to schools. This includes plans to keep schools mixed. He believes such plans are unfair and against the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause. He also believes they go against Brown v. Board of Education. In Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1, the Court looked at school plans that used race to decide which schools children could attend. Roberts wrote that the school districts did not show they tried other ways besides using race. He added that "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race."
On June 29, 2023, Roberts wrote the main opinion in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina. These decisions said that using race in college admissions for both public and private universities is against the Equal Protection Clause.
Free Speech
On April 20, 2010, in United States v. Stevens, the Court struck down a law about animal cruelty. Roberts wrote for the majority. He found that a federal law making it a crime to sell pictures of animal cruelty was against the First Amendment's right to freedom of speech.
On March 2, 2011, Roberts wrote the main opinion in Snyder v. Phelps. This case said that speech about public issues, even if it is offensive, cannot be the reason for a lawsuit about emotional distress. Roberts wrote that the comments in the case were about "matters of public import." He concluded that "we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker." He said the nation has chosen to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure public debate.
Health Care Reform
On June 28, 2012, Roberts wrote the main opinion in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius. This decision upheld a key part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Court found that a part of the law, the "individual mandate," could be seen as a tax. Therefore, it was valid under Congress's power to "lay and collect taxes." At the same time, the Court overturned a part of the law about expanding Medicaid. Roberts wrote that Congress could not punish states that chose not to join the new program by taking away their existing Medicaid money.
LGBT Rights
In Hollingsworth v. Perry (2013), Roberts wrote the main opinion. The Court ruled that those appealing a decision about California's Proposition 8 could not sue. This meant same-sex marriages started again in California. Roberts disagreed in United States v. Windsor. In that case, the Court ruled that parts of the Defense of Marriage Act were unconstitutional. This meant the federal government had to recognize same-sex marriages approved by states. Roberts also disagreed in Obergefell v. Hodges, where the Court ruled that same-sex couples have a right to marry.
In the cases of Bostock v. Clayton County, Altitude Express, Inc. v. Zarda, and R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2020), Roberts ruled with the majority. The Court said that businesses cannot treat LGBT people unfairly in employment. In October 2020, Roberts joined a unanimous decision. This decision rejected an appeal from Kim Davis, who refused to give marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
In Fulton v. City of Philadelphia (2021), Roberts joined a unanimous decision. The decision favored a Catholic adoption agency. The City of Philadelphia had refused to contract with the agency because it would not place children with same-sex couples. In November 2021, Roberts voted with the majority in a 6–3 decision. This decision rejected an appeal from a hospital that wanted to deny a hysterectomy to a transgender patient for religious reasons.
Voting Rights Act
During his time as chief justice, Roberts has changed voting rights protections. These protections were from the Voting Rights Act. In Shelby County v. Holder (2013), he struck down rules that required states with a history of voter discrimination to get federal approval before changing voting laws. After this ruling, many polling places closed. There were also cuts to early voting and stricter voter ID laws.
In 2023, Roberts and Kavanaugh joined the liberal justices in Allen v. Milligan. This 5–4 decision said that Alabama's plan for drawing congressional districts was against the Voting Rights Act. Roberts wrote for the majority. He said Alabama must create another district where minority voters are the majority.
Awards and Honors
In 2007, Roberts received an honorary degree from the College of the Holy Cross. He also gave a speech at the graduation ceremony that year. In 2023, Roberts received the Henry J. Friendly Medal. This award is from the American Law Institute.
Personal Life
Roberts and his wife, Jane Sullivan, got married on July 27, 1996. They were married in the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. Jane Sullivan is a lawyer. She met Roberts in New York. She has a master's degree in mathematics and a law degree. She became a well-known legal recruiter. John and Jane Roberts live in Chevy Chase, Maryland. They have two adopted children.
In the late 1990s, Roberts was part of a conservative group called the Federalist Society. However, he has said he does not remember much about being involved.
Health
In 2007, Roberts had a seizure at his vacation home in St. George, Maine. He stayed overnight in a hospital. Doctors could not find a clear reason for it. Roberts had a similar seizure in 1993. A Supreme Court statement said that a medical check-up "revealed no cause for concern." Federal judges do not have to share information about their health.
On June 21, 2020, Roberts fell at a country club in Maryland. He needed stitches on his forehead. He stayed overnight in the hospital for observation. Doctors said it was not a seizure. They believed he was light-headed because of dehydration.
Images for kids
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John Roberts's signature
See Also
In Spanish: John Roberts para niños
- Demographics of the Supreme Court of the United States
- List of justices of the Supreme Court of the United States
- List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Chief Justice)
- List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Seat 9)
- List of United States chief justices by time in office
- List of United States Supreme Court justices by time in office
- United States Supreme Court cases decided by the Roberts Court
Additional Sources
- Friedman, Leon (2013). "John G. Roberts, Jr.". In Friedman, Leon. The Justices of the United States Supreme Court: Their Lives and Major Opinions (4th ed.). New York, NY: Facts On File, Inc.. ISBN 978-0791013779. https://archive.org/details/justicesofunited0004unse_a6q5.
