Courts & Judges

Judges Appointed by John Adams

John Adams (Federalist) made 23 Article III appointments between 1798 and 1801, by commission date. 0 of those judges are still serving, in active or senior status.

Supreme Court3
Courts of appeals0
District courts4
Other courts16
Total appointments23

The appointees

GenderMale 23
Race or ethnicityWhite 23

Counts per appointment as recorded in the Federal Judicial Center's directory. The American Bar Association has rated nominees since the 1950s; older appointments carry no rating, and some recent nominees were not rated.

Supreme Court (3)

Judge Court Commissioned Senate vote ABA rating Status
Bushrod Washington Associate Justice Supreme Court of the United States Death 1829
Alfred Moore Associate Justice Supreme Court of the United States Resignation 1804
John Marshall Chief Justice Supreme Court of the United States Death 1835

District courts (4)

Judge Court Commissioned Senate vote ABA rating Status
James Winchester District Court for the District of Maryland Death 1806
John Davis District Court for the District of Massachusetts Resignation 1841
John Sloss Hobart District Court for the District of New York Death 1805
Elijah Paine District Court for the District of Vermont Resignation 1842

Other courts (16)

Judge Court Commissioned Senate vote ABA rating Status
James Markham Marshall Circuit Court of the District of Columbia Resignation 1803
William Cranch Circuit Court of the District of Columbia Appointed to another court 1806
Benjamin Bourne Circuit Court for the First Circuit Abolition of Court 1802
Jeremiah Smith Circuit Court for the First Circuit Abolition of Court 1802
John Lowell Chief Judge Circuit Court for the First Circuit Death 1802
George Keith Taylor Circuit Court for the Fourth Circuit Abolition of Court 1802
Philip Barton Key Circuit Court for the Fourth Circuit 20-9 Appointed to another court 1801
Charles Magill Circuit Court for the Fourth Circuit Abolition of Court 1802
Philip Barton Key Chief Judge Circuit Court for the Fourth Circuit Abolition of Court 1802
Egbert Benson Chief Judge Circuit Court for the Second Circuit Abolition of Court 1802
Oliver Wolcott Circuit Court for the Second Circuit Abolition of Court 1802
Samuel Hitchcock Circuit Court for the Second Circuit Abolition of Court 1802
William McClung Circuit Court for the Sixth Circuit Abolition of Court 1802
Richard Bassett Circuit Court for the Third Circuit Abolition of Court 1802
William Griffith Circuit Court for the Third Circuit Abolition of Court 1802
William Tilghman Chief Judge Circuit Court for the Third Circuit Abolition of Court 1802

‹ George WashingtonAll presidentsThomas Jefferson ›

Source: Federal Judicial Center. Updated November 9, 2026.