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 (1801âÂÂ1911), Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (1863âÂÂ1936), Court of Claims (1953âÂÂ1982), Customs Court (1956âÂÂ1980), and Court of Customs and Patent Appeals (1958âÂÂ1982). 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.
Lists of the 100 longest-serving judges by active service and total service, combining their service across all levels of Article III courts:
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.
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.
Lists of the 100 longest-serving judges of the district courts by active service and total service: