John Roberts

John G.

John G. Roberts Jr. is the seventeenth and current Chief Justice of the United States, having joined the Supreme Court in 2005. He is widely described as a conservative jurist who has also sometimes taken a more institutional or moderate approach in major cases. Before becoming chief justice, he worked as an appellate lawyer, held posts in Republican administrations, and served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Early life and education

John Roberts was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1955 and grew up in Indiana. He attended Harvard College and Harvard Law School, graduating with high academic distinction.

Legal and government career

Roberts clerked for federal judges, worked in the Reagan administration, served as Principal Deputy Solicitor General, and practiced appellate law in Washington, D.C. He argued many cases before the Supreme Court before becoming a judge.

Supreme Court tenure

Roberts was appointed to the Supreme Court by President George W. Bush in 2005 and became chief justice the same year after Chief Justice William Rehnquist died. He has presided over major rulings on the Affordable Care Act, affirmative action, same-sex marriage, and presidential immunity.

Judicial approach

Roberts is generally associated with the Court’s conservative wing, but his decisions often reflect attention to institutional legitimacy and the Court’s public standing. Commentators have often described him as a key swing or stabilizing vote in closely divided cases.