John Roberts, American lawyer and judge, 17th Chief Justice of the United States

John Glover Roberts Jr., born on January 27, 1955, is a distinguished American lawyer and jurist who has served as the 17th Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court since 2005. As the leader of the judicial branch of the federal government, the Chief Justice presides over the Supreme Court's public sessions, leads its private conferences, and often serves as the spokesperson for the federal judiciary.

Landmark Opinions Authored by Chief Justice Roberts

Chief Justice Roberts has authored the majority opinion in numerous landmark cases, demonstrating his significant influence on American law and society. These decisions have shaped various aspects of constitutional law, federal power, and individual rights:

• Shelby County v. Holder (2013): This pivotal case invalidated a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, specifically Section 4(b), which established a formula to identify jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination that required federal preclearance for changes to their voting laws. The Court ruled that the formula was outdated, thereby significantly altering the enforcement of federal voting rights protections.
• National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012): In this complex ruling, Chief Justice Roberts cast the deciding vote and authored the majority opinion that upheld the Affordable Care Act (ACA)'s individual mandate as a permissible exercise of Congress's power to tax, rather than its power to regulate commerce. This decision preserved the core of President Obama's signature healthcare reform legislation.
• King v. Burwell (2015): This case centered on the availability of tax subsidies under the ACA. Chief Justice Roberts's opinion ruled that tax credits were available to individuals who purchased health insurance through both state-established and federally established exchanges, ensuring that millions of Americans retained access to affordable healthcare coverage regardless of where their state exchange was established.
• Department of Commerce v. New York (2019): The Court blocked the Trump administration's attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. Chief Justice Roberts's majority opinion found that the administration's rationale for adding the question was "pretextual," indicating that the stated reasons did not align with the true motivation, thereby preserving the integrity of the census process.
• Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California (2020): In a significant ruling concerning immigration policy, Chief Justice Roberts authored the opinion that found the Trump administration's rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to be "arbitrary and capricious" under the Administrative Procedure Act, allowing the program to continue for approximately 700,000 young undocumented immigrants, often referred to as "Dreamers."

Judicial Philosophy and Role on the Supreme Court

Chief Justice Roberts is generally described as having a conservative judicial philosophy, which often emphasizes judicial restraint, textualism (interpreting laws based on their plain meaning), and originalism (interpreting the Constitution according to the original intent of its framers or its original public meaning). However, he has demonstrated a notable willingness to work with the Supreme Court's liberal bloc, especially in cases where a narrow, unanimous, or broad consensus opinion could protect the Court's institutional legitimacy. Since the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy in 2018, Roberts has increasingly been regarded as a crucial swing vote on the Court, often holding the decisive vote in closely divided cases and shaping the direction of significant legal precedents.

Role in Presidential Impeachment Trials

In early 2020, Chief Justice Roberts fulfilled his constitutional duty by presiding over the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in the Senate. This role, mandated by Article I, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution for presidential impeachment proceedings, requires the Chief Justice to act as a neutral arbiter. However, Roberts declined to preside over Trump's second impeachment trial, which occurred in early 2021. This decision was primarily due to the unique circumstance that Trump's term as president had expired by the time the House of Representatives transmitted the article of impeachment to the Senate, making him a former president at the time of the trial. The presiding role in that second trial was consequently taken by Senator Patrick Leahy, as the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

Early Life, Education, and Legal Career

Chief Justice Roberts grew up in northwestern Indiana and received his early education in Catholic schools. His academic journey led him to Harvard University, where he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1976. He then pursued legal studies at Harvard Law School, earning his Juris Doctor magna cum laude in 1979. During his time at Harvard Law, he served as the managing editor of the prestigious Harvard Law Review, a highly selective position indicative of exceptional legal scholarship and editorial skill.

Roberts began his legal career with esteemed clerkships, first for Circuit Judge Henry Friendly of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, a jurist widely regarded as one of the most influential federal judges of his era. He then clerked for then-Associate Justice William Rehnquist on the Supreme Court, who would later become Chief Justice. These clerkships provided Roberts with invaluable insights into the workings of the federal judiciary at both the appellate and highest court levels.

Following his clerkships, Roberts entered public service during the Reagan administration, taking a position in the Attorney General's office. He continued to serve the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations in key roles within the Department of Justice and the Office of the White House Counsel. During the George H. W. Bush administration, he was nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, often considered the second most important court in the nation due to its jurisdiction over federal regulations and executive power. However, no vote on his nomination was held by the Senate at that time.

After his government service, Roberts spent 14 years in private law practice, primarily focusing on appellate litigation. During this period, he argued an impressive 39 cases before the Supreme Court, a testament to his extensive appellate experience and profound understanding of constitutional and statutory law. Notably, he represented 19 states in United States v. Microsoft Corp., a landmark antitrust case involving the technology giant.

Path to the Federal Bench and Chief Justice Appointment

John Roberts returned to public service as a federal judge in 2003 when President George W. Bush appointed him to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. During his two-year tenure on this influential appellate court, Roberts authored 49 opinions, demonstrating his productivity and legal acumen. Of these, only two elicited dissents from other judges, while Roberts himself authored three dissents, showcasing his independent legal reasoning.

His rapid ascent continued in 2005 when President George W. Bush initially nominated him to the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. However, a significant development occurred shortly afterward: Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Roberts's former mentor, unexpectedly passed away before Roberts's Senate confirmation hearings had even begun. Responding to this unforeseen vacancy at the helm of the nation's highest court, President Bush swiftly withdrew Roberts's nomination as an Associate Justice and instead renominated him to become Chief Justice of the United States. Following a successful confirmation process, Roberts was sworn in as Chief Justice on September 29, 2005. To fill the Associate Justice vacancy left by Justice O'Connor, President Bush subsequently nominated Samuel Alito.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chief Justice John Roberts

When was Chief Justice John Roberts born?

Chief Justice John Glover Roberts Jr. was born on January 27, 1955.

When did John Roberts become Chief Justice of the United States?

John Roberts was sworn in as the 17th Chief Justice of the United States on September 29, 2005.

What are some major cases in which Chief Justice Roberts authored the majority opinion?

Some landmark cases include Shelby County v. Holder, National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, King v. Burwell, Department of Commerce v. New York, and Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California.

What is Chief Justice Roberts's judicial philosophy often described as?

He is generally described as having a conservative judicial philosophy, often characterized by judicial restraint and a focus on the text and original meaning of laws and the Constitution.

Did Chief Justice Roberts preside over both impeachment trials of Donald Trump?

Chief Justice Roberts presided over the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in early 2020. However, he declined to preside over the second impeachment trial in 2021, as Donald Trump was no longer president at the time of the trial.

Where did Chief Justice Roberts receive his legal education?

Chief Justice Roberts attended Harvard Law School, where he served as the managing editor of the Harvard Law Review.

How many cases did John Roberts argue before the Supreme Court prior to becoming a judge?

Before becoming a federal judge, John Roberts argued 39 cases before the Supreme Court during his 14 years in private law practice.