Clarence Thomas Becomes the Second Longest-Serving Justice in Supreme Court History
His 34-year tenure has made him the court’s most senior justice, while ethics scrutiny and his clerks’ influence continue to shape his legacy.
- On Thursday, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas marked 34 years on the Supreme Court, becoming the second-longest serving justice in history and surpassing Justice Stephen J. Field.
- Once an outlier on the nation's highest court, Thomas has become a towering figure in the conservative legal movement following the appointment of three conservative justices by Republican President Donald Trump.
- Stanford University law professor Pamela Karlan noted that Thomas' seniority allows him to decide who writes opinions when Chief Justice John Roberts is not in the majority, shifting internal court dynamics.
- Recently, Thomas has faced ethics questions regarding undisclosed luxury trips from a GOP megadonor; he maintains he was not required to disclose them and has declined to recuse himself from related cases.
- With no signs of retirement, Thomas could overtake William O. Douglas as the longest-serving justice in 2028. Law professor John Yoo said Thomas appears "more energized and excited now" than decades ago.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Clarence Thomas is now the 2nd longest-serving justice in Supreme Court history
Once an outlier on the nation’s highest court, Justice Clarence Thomas has become a towering figure in the conservative legal movement over the last decade as he helped secure landmark rulings on abortion, voting and Second Amendment rights.
Associated Press News
Clarence Thomas becomes the second longest-serving justice in Supreme Court history
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is now the second longest-serving justice in history, overtaking a member of the court who was nominated by President Abraham Lincoln.
Clarence Thomas Becomes Nation’s Second Longest-Serving Supreme Court Justice
Congratulations, Justice Clarence Thomas! On Wednesday, May 6, Thomas officially became the second longest-serving justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, serving for 34 years and 195 days – that’s 12,605 days. Justice Thomas was nominated to the Supreme Court by former President George H.W. Bush, and was confirmed as an associate justice on October 15, 1991, in a 52-48 vote following a brutal confirmation hearing process. The 77-year-old Catholic ju…
Clarence Thomas Just Became The Second-Longest Serving Justice In Supreme Court History
Justice Clarence Thomas has officially become the second-longest-serving justice in U.S. Supreme Court history, as of Wednesday. Thomas reached 12,614 days on the bench, totaling 34 years and 195 days, according to tenure calculations based on his October 23, 1991, oath of office. This rank was previously solely held by Stephen Johnson Field. The milestone comes just days after Thomas overtook John Paul Stevens, with whom he once served on the h…
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