List of United States federal judges by longevity of service

These are lists of Article III United States federal judges by longevity of service. Senate confirmation along with presidential appointment to an Article III court entails a lifelong appointment, unless the judge is impeached, resigns, retires, or assumes senior status. Such courts include the Supreme Court (since 1789), courts of appeals (since 1891), district courts (since 1789), and the Court of International Trade (since 1980), as well as the defunct circuit courts (1801–1911), Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (1863–1936), Court of Claims (1953–1982), Customs Court (1956–1980), and Court of Customs and Patent Appeals (1958–1982). They include neither Article I courts (e.g., Tax Court, Court of Federal Claims, bankruptcy courts) nor Article IV courts (territorial courts).

The lists measure length of service beginning with the date of presidential appointment, either the date on which the president signed the judge's commission or (as noted) the date of an earlier recess appointment. This date frequently differs from the date on which the judge took their oath of office. Separate lists are maintained for active service, during which a judge will normally maintain a full caseload, as well as for total service, combining active service and senior service. The caseload of a senior judge may range from full to inactive. Data on judges' dates of service is maintained by the Federal Judicial Center.

Combined Article III court service Lists of the 100 longest-serving judges by active service and total service, combining their service across all levels of Article III courts: Active service Rank Judge Court Appointed by Began active service Ended active service Total active service1C.C. 5th Cir.JeffersonD.N.C.2C.C.D.C.J. AdamsJefferson3C.D. Cal.L. B. Johnson4M.D. Fla.Nixon5th Cir.Ford11th Cir.reassigned5D. Del.Monroe6C.C.D.C.Madison7C.D. Cal.L. B. Johnson9th Cir.Carter8S.D. Tex.Wilson5th Cir.Hoover9W.D. Pa.B. HarrisonC.C. 3rd Cir.T. Roosevelt3rd Cir.10N.D. Ill.Ford7th Cir.Reagan11D.P.R.Ford1st Cir.Reagan12D. Neb.Wilson8th Cir.F. D. Roosevelt13D. Me.Monroe14W.D.N.Y.F. D. Roosevelt15W.D. Va.LincolnD. W. Va.reassignedN.D. W. Va.169th Cir.FordSCOTUSReagan17D. Conn.Carter2nd Cir.Clinton18S.D.N.Y.Truman19Fed. Cir.ReaganIncumbent20E.D.N.C.ReaganIncumbent21N.D. OhioHarding22S.D. W. Va.Ford234th Cir.ReaganIncumbent24S.D.N.Y.Taft2nd Cir.Coolidge25S.D. Tex.Reagan261st Cir.CarterSCOTUSClinton277th Cir.ReaganIncumbent5th Cir.ReaganIncumbent29W.D. Tenn.Reagan6th Cir.G. W. Bush30D. Vt.J. Adams31C.D. Cal.ReaganIncumbentS.D. Miss.ReaganIncumbent33D. Mass.Nixon34D. Wyo.ReaganIncumbent35C.C.P.A.EisenhowerFed. Cir.reassigned36D.P.R.Carter37N.D. Cal.FillmoreS.D. Cal.reassignedD. Cal.N.D. Cal.38S.D. Fla.Grant39D. Mass.J. Adams40S.D.N.Y.J. Q. Adams41N.D. Ind.Reagan7th Cir.42D.S.C.ReaganD.C. Cir.G. H. W. BushIncumbent43D.R.I.Monroe44W.D. La.Ford5th Cir.Reagan45D.C. Cir.CarterSCOTUSClinton46N.D. Ill.Reagan7th Cir.G. H. W. Bush477th Cir.NixonSCOTUSFord48N.D. Ga.Carter49E.D. Wis.ReaganIncumbent50C.C. 9th Cir.B. Harrison9th Cir.51E.D. Ark.LincolnW.D. Ark.C.C. 8th Cir.B. Harrison8th Cir.reassigned9th Cir.Kennedy53M.D. Ga.Kennedy545th Cir.ReaganIncumbent55S.D.N.Y.Wilson2nd Cir.Coolidge56D. Md.Reagan4th Cir.G. H. W. BushIncumbent57S.D. Cal.ClevelandC.C. 9th Cir.9th Cir.58C.C. 5th Cir.Garfield5th Cir.reassigned59E.D. La.Reagan60W.D. Va.Nixon4th Cir.61N.D. Ill.Reagan62D. Minn.Buchanan63N.D. Ind.F. D. Roosevelt7th Cir.Kennedy64S.D.N.Y.Truman2nd Cir.Kennedy65N.D. Tex.HayesC.C. 5th Cir.B. Harrison5th Cir.669th Cir.Carter67N.D. Tex.McKinley68E.D. Ky.W.D. Ky.F. D. Roosevelt69S.D.N.Y.Truman70D.D.C.TrumanD.C. Cir.L. B. Johnson71S.D. Tex.Reagan72S.D.N.Y.Wilson73N.D. Tex.Carter74D. Minn.Carter8th Cir.Clinton75M.D. Fla.Reagan76D. OhioJacksonS.D. Ohioreassigned77S.D. Ind.Truman78D. Pa.WashingtonE.D. Pa.reassignedE.D. La.TrumanD.C. Cir.Kennedy80E.D. Mich.Harding6th Cir.Hoover81D.C. Cir.G. H. W. BushSCOTUSIncumbent82SCOTUSF. D. Roosevelt83D. Tenn.WashingtonE.D. Tenn.W.D. Tenn.reassigned84Fed. Cir.G. H. W. BushIncumbent853rd Cir.G. H. W. BushSCOTUSG. W. BushIncumbent86D. Mass.Reagan87D.S.C.G. H. W. BushIncumbent88C.C. 8th Cir.B. Harrison8th Cir.89N.D. Miss.WilsonS.D. Miss.5th Cir.F. D. Roosevelt90M.D. Ala.Eisenhower5th Cir.Carter11th Cir.reassigned918th Cir.G. H. W. BushIncumbent92D. Minn.Hoover93S.D.N.Y.Nixon947th Cir.Reagan95D. IowaPierceS.D. Iowareassigned96C.C.D.C.Madison97D.N.H.Jackson98W.D. La.Garfield99E.D. Ill.Harding7th Cir.Truman100N.D.N.Y.ArthurC.C. 2nd Cir.T. Roosevelt2nd Cir.

Total service Rank Judge Court Appointed by Began active service Ended active service Ended senior status Total service1D. Neb.Wilson—8th Cir.F. D. Roosevelt2C.C. 5th Cir.Jefferson—D.N.C.3M.D. Fla.Nixon—5th Cir.Ford11th Cir.reassignedIncumbentS.D. Cal.Nixon—9th Cir.Incumbent5M.D. Pa.Kennedy6W.D. Pa.B. Harrison—C.C. 3rd Cir.T. Roosevelt3rd Cir.7S.D. Fla.Nixon8D. Mass.Nixon—1st Cir.Incumbent9D. Conn.Nixon—2nd Cir.CarterIncumbent10S.D. Tex.Wilson—5th Cir.Hoover11N.D. Ala.Truman12N.D. IowaKennedy13C.C.D.C.J. AdamsJefferson—14E.D.N.Y.L. B. Johnson15D. Del.Nixon—3rd Cir.Reagan16N.D. Ill.Nixon—7th Cir.Ford17N.D. Fla.S.D. Fla.Kennedy—M.D. Fla.reassigned18D. Ore.Nixon—9th Cir.19S.D.N.Y.Kennedy—2nd Cir.L. B. Johnson20C.D. Cal.L. B. Johnson21E.D. Pa.F. D. Roosevelt—3rd Cir.22S.D.N.Y.Taft—2nd Cir.Coolidge23D. Minn.FordIncumbent24D.N.M.Harding—10th Cir.Hoover25E.D. Pa.L. B. Johnson26E.D. Mich.L. B. Johnson—6th Cir.Carter279th Cir.Ford—SCOTUSReaganIncumbent28D. Md.L. B. Johnson29E.D. Ky.W.D. Ky.Ford—6th Cir.G. H. W. BushIncumbent30N.D. Tex.Ford—5th Cir.ReaganIncumbent31M.D. Ga.Eisenhower329th Cir.Kennedy33S.D.N.Y.FordIncumbent34S.D. Cal.Eisenhower—E.D. Cal.reassigned35W.D. Tenn.Nixon—6th Cir.Reagan36S.D. Fla.Nixon—5th Cir.Ford11th Cir.reassigned37S.D.N.Y.Eisenhower38W.D. Wash.Nixon39S.D. Tex.Nixon40N.D. Fla.Ford41M.D. Fla.Nixon42W.D. La.Ford—5th Cir.ReaganIncumbent43C.D. Cal.L. B. Johnson—9th Cir.Carter44N.D. Ill.Ford—7th Cir.Reagan45E.D. Mich.Ford—6th Cir.Reagan46D. Kan.Kennedy47S.D. W. Va.Ford48W.D.N.Y.L. B. Johnson49E.D. Mo.CarterIncumbent50S.D. Ala.Truman51S.D.N.Y.Carter—2nd Cir.ClintonIncumbent52D. Colo.CarterIncumbent53S.D.N.Y.Truman547th Cir.Nixon—SCOTUSFord55E.D. Pa.Nixon56D. Del.Monroe—572nd Cir.Coolidge588th Cir.L. B. Johnson59E.D. Pa.Nixon60D. Mass.Eisenhower—1st Cir.61W.D. La.Eisenhower62E.D. La.L. B. Johnson63S.D.N.Y.Wilson64S.D. Fla.CarterIncumbent65C.C.D.C.Madison—66E.D. Va.Nixon67N.D. Ill.F. D. Roosevelt68N.D. Cal.Nixon69W.D. Mo.Harding70S.D. Cal.Nixon71E.D. Ark.Nixon722nd Cir.CarterIncumbent73W.D. Tenn.F. D. Roosevelt74D. Mass.Carter75N.D. Ala.Nixon76D. Neb.Nixon775th Cir.Carter—11th Cir.reassignedIncumbent5th Cir.CarterIncumbent79N.D. Ill.CarterIncumbentM.D. Fla.Carter—11th Cir.G. H. W. BushIncumbentN.D. Ga.CarterIncumbent82D. AlaskaL. B. Johnson83W.D. Mo.CarterIncumbent9th Cir.CarterIncumbent85W.D. Wis.CarterIncumbentE.D. Okla.CarterIncumbent10th Cir.CarterIncumbentD.N.J.CarterIncumbent89D.S.C.Nixon—4th Cir.Reagan90E.D. Ky.CarterIncumbentS.D. Ga.CarterIncumbent92D. Conn.Carter—2nd Cir.ClintonIncumbent93C.D. Cal.CarterIncumbent9th Cir.CarterIncumbent95D.N.J.Nixon—3rd Cir.96N.D. Ga.Nixon97D. Mont.Taft98D. Minn.Hoover99D.C. Cir.CarterIncumbentW.D. Wash.CarterIncumbent

Supreme Court Lists of the 25 longest-serving justices of the Supreme Court by active service and total service follow. Their tenures generally differ from those found at list of United States Supreme Court justices by time in office by several days, as that page uses a justice's oath of office, rather than their date of commission, as their start date. Justices of the Supreme Court who have assumed senior status cannot hear Supreme Court cases, but may hear cases on lower courts.

Active service Rank Justice Appointed by Began active service Ended active service Active service1F. D. Roosevelt2G. H. W. BushIncumbent3Lincoln4Ford5J. Adams6F. D. Roosevelt7Hayes8Madison9Eisenhower10NixonReagan11Jackson12Jackson13Kennedy14J. Adams15Reagan16Jefferson17Reagan18T. Roosevelt19Jackson20Lincoln21Van Buren22Clinton23Tyler24ClevelandTaft25Clinton

Total service Rank Justice Appointed by Began active service Ended active service Ended retired status Total service1Ford2Reagan3F. D. Roosevelt4Eisenhower5F. D. Roosevelt6Kennedy7ReaganIncumbent8G. H. W. BushIncumbent—9Lincoln—10G. H. W. Bush11J. Adams—12F. D. Roosevelt13Hayes—14Madison—15NixonReagan—16Jackson—17ClintonIncumbent18Jackson—19Wilson20J. Adams—21Jefferson—22Taft23Reagan—24T. Roosevelt—25Nixon

Courts of appeals Lists of the 50 longest-serving judges of the courts of appeals by active service and total service follow. These lists do not include service on the circuit courts that preceded the courts of appeals as intermediate-level federal courts.

Active service Rank Judge Court Appointed by Began active service Ended active service Total active service15th Cir.Ford11th Cir.reassigned2Fed. Cir.ReaganIncumbent34th Cir.ReaganIncumbent47th Cir.ReaganIncumbent5th Cir.ReaganIncumbent69th Cir.B. Harrison79th Cir.Kennedy85th Cir.ReaganIncumbent97th Cir.Reagan109th Cir.Carter11Fed. Cir.G. H. W. BushIncumbent12D.C. Cir.G. H. W. BushIncumbent134th Cir.G. H. W. BushIncumbent148th Cir.B. Harrison159th Cir.Carter161st Cir.Reagan178th Cir.G. H. W. BushIncumbent187th Cir.Reagan195th Cir.Reagan207th Cir.Reagan214th Cir.Nixon225th Cir.Carter233rd Cir.Carter246th Cir.Carter255th Cir.Hoover268th Cir.Reagan275th Cir.Reagan287th Cir.L. B. Johnson294th Cir.Coolidge305th Cir.ClintonIncumbent319th Cir.Carter327th Cir.Wilson339th Cir.Reagan347th Cir.G. H. W. Bush353rd Cir.T. Roosevelt366th Cir.ClintonIncumbent378th Cir.Hoover38D.C. Cir.T. Roosevelt396th Cir.Reagan408th Cir.Wilson419th Cir.Cleveland429th Cir.Reagan43D.C. Cir.T. Roosevelt44D.C. Cir.Truman4510th Cir.F. D. Roosevelt467th Cir.Taft2nd Cir.reassigned6th Cir.475th Cir.Carter11th Cir.reassigned486th Cir.ClintonIncumbent495th Cir.Eisenhower503rd Cir.F. D. Roosevelt

Total service Rank Judge Court Appointed by Began active service Ended active service Ended senior status Total service19th Cir.NixonIncumbent21st Cir.NixonIncumbent39th Cir.Nixon47th Cir.Ford55th Cir.Ford—11th Cir.reassignedIncumbent69th Cir.Kennedy73rd Cir.F. D. Roosevelt82nd Cir.Coolidge98th Cir.L. B. Johnson102nd Cir.L. B. Johnson112nd Cir.CarterIncumbent2nd Cir.CarterIncumbent135th Cir.Carter—11th Cir.reassignedIncumbent5th Cir.CarterIncumbent159th Cir.CarterIncumbent1610th Cir.CarterIncumbent179th Cir.CarterIncumbent18D.C. Cir.CarterIncumbent193rd Cir.L. B. Johnson209th Cir.CarterIncumbent2110th Cir.L. B. Johnson2210th Cir.Hoover238th Cir.F. D. Roosevelt245th Cir.Ford—11th Cir.reassigned256th Cir.Carter265th Cir.ReaganIncumbent271st Cir.L. B. Johnson282nd Cir.Eisenhower295th Cir.Reagan306th Cir.Nixon315th Cir.L. B. Johnson—11th Cir.reassigned32D.C. Cir.Truman333rd Cir.Carter348th Cir.ReaganIncumbent353rd Cir.Nixon361st Cir.Eisenhower378th Cir.Nixon385th Cir.ReaganIncumbent39Fed. Cir.ReaganIncumbent—4010th Cir.Nixon4110th Cir.Carter423rd Cir.F. D. Roosevelt434th Cir.ReaganIncumbent—445th Cir.Hoover455th Cir.Eisenhower11th Cir.reassigned——465th Cir.Eisenhower477th Cir.Reagan486th Cir.Carter497th Cir.ReaganIncumbent—5th Cir.ReaganIncumbent—

District courts Lists of the 100 longest-serving judges of the district courts by active service and total service: Active service