John Roberts

John Roberts
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Name	John Roberts
Birth date	January 27, 1955
Birth place	Buffalo, New York
Alma mater	Harvard University, Harvard Law School

John Roberts is the 17th Chief Justice of the United States, serving since 2005, and has played a crucial role in shaping the Supreme Court of the United States. He was appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate with a vote of 78-22, with support from Senator Orrin Hatch, Senator Patrick Leahy, and Senator Arlen Specter. Roberts has been a key figure in several landmark cases, including National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, which involved the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Medicaid program. He has also worked with other notable justices, such as Antonin Scalia, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Stephen Breyer, on cases like District of Columbia v. Heller and Obergefell v. Hodges.

● Early Life and Education

John Roberts was born in Buffalo, New York, and grew up in Long Beach, Indiana, where he attended La Lumiere School. He then went on to study at Harvard University, where he was a member of the Harvard Crimson and graduated magna cum laude in 1976. Roberts later attended Harvard Law School, earning his Juris Doctor degree in 1979, and was a managing editor of the Harvard Law Review. During his time at Harvard, he was influenced by notable figures such as Archibald Cox and Frankfurter, Felix, and was a part of the Federalist Society, which also included Robert Bork and Antonin Scalia. After law school, Roberts clerked for Judge Henry Friendly of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and later for Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

● Career

Before becoming a judge, John Roberts worked as a law clerk for Judge Henry Friendly and later for Chief Justice William Rehnquist. He then joined the Reagan Administration as a special assistant to the Attorney General of the United States, William French Smith, and later became an associate counsel to President Ronald Reagan. In 1986, Roberts entered private practice, joining the law firm Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells), where he worked alongside Ted Olson and Viet Dinh. During his time in private practice, Roberts argued several cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, including United States v. Microsoft and Toyota Motor Manufacturing v. Williams. He also worked with other notable lawyers, such as Solicitor General Kenneth Starr and Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson.

● Judicial Career

John Roberts was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit by President George H.W. Bush in 1992, but his nomination was blocked by Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Joe Biden. He was later renominated by President George W. Bush in 2001 and confirmed by the United States Senate in 2003. After the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist in 2005, Roberts was nominated to succeed him as Chief Justice of the United States and was confirmed by the United States Senate with a vote of 78-22, with support from Senator Arlen Specter and Senator Lindsey Graham. As Chief Justice, Roberts has played a key role in shaping the Supreme Court of the United States, working with other notable justices, such as Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito, on cases like Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and Shelby County v. Holder.

● Notable Decisions

As Chief Justice, John Roberts has written several notable opinions, including the majority opinion in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, which upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and the dissenting opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges, which struck down state bans on same-sex marriage. He has also written opinions in cases such as District of Columbia v. Heller, which involved the Second Amendment and the Gun Control Act of 1968, and Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which involved campaign finance laws and the Federal Election Commission. Roberts has also been a key vote in cases like Shelby County v. Holder, which involved the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and United States v. Windsor, which involved the Defense of Marriage Act and the Human Rights Campaign.

● Personal Life

John Roberts is married to Jane Sullivan Roberts, a lawyer and former Special Assistant to the Attorney General of the United States, and they have two adopted children, Josephine Roberts and Jack Roberts. He is a member of the Catholic Church and has been involved in several charitable organizations, including the National Catholic Educational Association and the Catholic Charities USA. Roberts has also been a member of the American Law Institute and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has received several awards, including the American Bar Association's Thurgood Marshall Award and the National Law Journal's Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also been recognized by other notable organizations, such as the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation, for his contributions to the field of law. Category:American judges