Following is a list of all Article III United States federal judges appointed by President Bill Clinton during his presidency.All information on the names, terms of service, and details of appointment of federal judges is derived from the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public-domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center. In total Clinton appointed 378 Article III federal judges, including two justices to the Supreme Court of the United States, 66 judges to the United States courts of appeals, 305 judges to the United States district courts and 5 judges to the United States Court of International Trade. Clinton's total of 378 judicial appointments is the second most in American history behind Ronald Reagan, and his 305 district court judges is a record.
Additionally, eight Article I federal judge appointments are listed, including one judge to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and seven judges to the United States Tax Court. This is not a complete list of Clinton's Article I federal judge appointments.
26 of Clinton's appointees remain in active service, nine appellate judges and seventeen district judges. Two additional judges named by Clinton to district courts remain in active service as appellate judges by appointment of later presidents, as is one appellate judge appointed to the Supreme Court.
United States Supreme Court justices
Speculation abounded over potential Clinton nominations to the Supreme Court even before his presidency officially began, given the advanced ages of several justices. On March 19, 1993, Justice Byron White announced his retirement effective at the end of the Supreme Court's 1992–1993 term.Linda Greenhouse, Byron R. White, Longtime Justice And a Football Legend, Dies at 84, The New York Times (April 16, 2002).
President Clinton announced Ruth Bader Ginsburg as White's replacement on June 15, 1993, and she was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 3, 1993.Federal Judicial Center page on Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
On April 6, 1994, Associate Justice Harry Blackmun announced his retirement, which ultimately took effect August 3, 1994.Federal Judicial Center page on Harry Blackmun . President Clinton announced Stephen Breyer as Blackmun's replacement on May 13, 1994, with the United States Senate confirming Breyer on July 29, 1994.Federal Judicial Center page on Stephen Breyer .
# Justice Seat State Former justice Nominationdate Confirmationdate Confirmationvote Beganservice Endedservice Endedretired service New York Byron White Massachusetts Harry Blackmun Incumbent
Courts of appeals
#JudgeCircuitNominationdateConfirmationdateConfirmationvoteBegan activeserviceEnded activeserviceEnded seniorstatusvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent61–370–voice votevoice voteIncumbent0–voice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent63–350–voice votevoice votevoice vote0–Renominated on January 11, 1995, after initial nomination expired.voice voteIncumbentRenominated on January 24, 1995, after initial nomination expired.voice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice votevoice voteIncumbentRenominated on January 31, 1995, after initial nomination expired.voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentRenominated on January 7, 1997, after initial nomination expired.76–230–Renominated on May 7, 1997, after initial nomination expired.voice voteIncumbent0–voice vote96–0Incumbentvoice voteIncumbent98–1Incumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent98–0Incumbent80–11Incumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbent67–29Elevated57–41Incumbentvoice voteIncumbent0–voice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice vote69–29voice voteRenominated on January 26, 1999, after initial nomination expired.voice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbent96–2Incumbent98–093–0Incumbent64–34IncumbentRenominated on January 7, 1997, and January 26, 1999.59–39Incumbent74–25Incumbent0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent0–Renominated on January 3, 2001, after initial nomination expired. Was later withdrawn on March 19, 2001, by President Bush.N/AN/ARecess appointment; subsequently nominated by George W. Bush on May 9, 2001, confirmed by the Senate on July 20, 2001, and received commission on July 25, 2001.Incumbent0–
District courts
#JudgeCourtSee List of United States district and territorial courtsNominationdateConfirmationdateConfirmationvoteBegan activeserviceEnded activeserviceEnded seniorstatusvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–Previously nominated by President Bush on July 27, 1992. That nomination expired at the end of the term. Renominated on September 24, 1993, by President Clinton.voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice votevoice voteIncumbent0–Previously nominated by President Bush on November 27, 1991. That nomination expired at the end of the term. Renominated on August 6, 1993, by President Clinton.voice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteElevatedvoice voteElevatedvoice votevoice votevoice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteElevatedvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteElevatedvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice votevoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteElevatedvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent0–voice votevoice voteElevatedvoice votevoice votevoice votevoice voteElevatedvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice votevoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteElevatedvoice vote0–voice vote0–voice votevoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteElevatedvoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice vote0–voice votevoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice vote0–voice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentPreviously nominated by President Bush on September 24, 1992. That nomination expired at the end of the term. Renominated on April 4, 1995, by President Clinton.voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice vote 0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteElevatedvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteElevatedvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteElevatedvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice vote0–voice voteElevatedvoice voteIncumbentvoice votePreviously nominated by President Carter on May 16, 1979, to a different seat on the same court. That nomination expired at the end of the term. Renominated on December 12, 1995, to a different seat on the same court by President Clinton.voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent96–0Incumbentvoice voteIncumbent0–100–0Incumbent100–0Elevated98–1Incumbent97–0Incumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentPreviously nominated by President Bush on July 2, 1992. That nomination expired at the end of the term. Renominated by President Clinton on July 16, 1997.voice vote0–voice voteIncumbent91–0Incumbent0–98–0Incumbent100–0Incumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbent93–6Incumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice votevoice vote0–voice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbent67–30Incumbent96–00–67–2881–0Incumbentvoice voteIncumbent0–Renominated on March 21, 1997, after initial nomination expired.voice voteIncumbent90–0voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteElevated98–10–voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice votePreviously nominated by President Bush on October 2, 1992, to a different seat on the same court. That nomination expired at the end of the term. Renominated on January 27, 1998, to a different seat on the same court by President Clinton.voice voteIncumbent0–voice votevoice voteIncumbent56–34Incumbent85–085–0voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice vote0–voice votevoice voteIncumbent0–voice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbent94–4Incumbent0–94–494–40–94–4Incumbent94–4Incumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–93–1Elevated93–1Incumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent93–5Incumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice votePreviously nominated on November 27, 1995, to another seat on the same court. That nomination expired. Nominated to another seat on the same court on April 22, 1999.voice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice vote95–20–98–0Incumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent63–36Elevated83–1686–14voice voteIncumbentvoice voteElevatedvoice voteIncumbent0–voice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice vote0–voice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteElevatedvoice vote0–95–0Incumbent
United States Court of International Trade
#JudgeNominationdateConfirmationdateConfirmationvoteBegan activeserviceEnded activeserviceEnded seniorstatusvoice votevoice voteElevatedvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent
Specialty courts (Article I)
United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
#JudgeNominationdateConfirmationdateConfirmationvoteBegan activeserviceEnded activeserviceEnded seniorstatusvoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbent
United States Court of Federal Claims
#JudgeNominationdateConfirmationdateConfirmationvoteBegan activeserviceEnded activeserviceEnded seniorstatus96–0Recess appointment; subsequently confirmed. Was previously appointed by Ronald Reagan and served since December 10, 1982.voice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteIncumbentvoice voteIncumbentvoice votevoice voteN/AN/ARecess appointment; appointment expired November 22, 2002.
United States Court of Veterans Appeals
#JudgeNominationdateConfirmationdateConfirmationvoteBegan activeserviceEnded activeserviceEnded seniorstatusvoice voteIncumbent
United States Tax Court