Everyday Scientist (NotScience)

Kagan Demographics

May 10, 2010 at 11:32 am | jordan | law, news, politics, society

Obama has nominated Elena Kagan to fill Justice Stevens’ seat on the Supreme Court. I’ll chart some demographics, then later (time permitting) spout some opinions.

Here are some categories to which we would add Kagan’s name if she is confirmed:

Female Justices

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1993-  )
Sandra Day O’Connor (1981-2006)

Jewish Justices

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1993-  )
Stephen Breyer (1994-  )
Abe Fortas (1965-69)
Arthur J. Goldberg (1962-65)
Felix Frankfurter (1939-62)
Louis Brandeis (1916-39)
Benjamin Cardozo (1932-38)

Justices with no prior judicial service

William Rehnquist (1972-2005)
Lewis Powell (1972-87)
William Douglas (1939-75)
Byron White (1962-93)
Abe Fortas (1965-69)
Arthur Goldberg (1962-65)
Felix Frankfurter (1939-62)
Robert Jackson (1941-54)
Louis Brandeis (1916-39)

Here is what the composition of the Court would be:

By religion

6 Catholic (Roberts, Kennedy, Scalia, Thomas, and Alito)
3 Jewish (Ginsberg, Breyer, and Kagan).

By race

8 white persons
1 black person
1 Latino person

By sex

7 men
3 women

Age when appointed

Ginsburg – 60
Sotomayor – 56
Breyer – 56
Alito – 56
Kennedy – 51
Roberts – 50
Scalia – 50
Kagan – 50
Thomas – 43

Age as of May 2010

Ginsburg – 77
Scalia – 74
Kennedy – 73
Breyer – 71
Thomas – 61
Alito – 60
Roberts – 55
Sotomayor – 55
Kagan – 50

Appointing presidents (red for Republican, blue for Democrat)

Scalia (Reagan)
Kennedy (Reagan)
Thomas (Bush, Sr.)
Breyer (Clinton)
Ginsburg (Clinton)
Alito (Bush, Jr.)
Roberts (Bush, Jr.)
Sotomayor (Obama)
Kagan (Obama)

By Law School

Roberts         Harvard
Scalia              Harvard
Breyer            Harvard
Kennedy        Harvard
Kagan              Harvard
Thomas          Yale
Alito                 Yale
Sotomayor    Yale
Ginsburg         Columbia