William Brennan (U.S. Supreme Court)
William J. Brennan, Jr. was an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. He received a recess appointment from President Dwight Eisenhower and was confirmed in 1957. He assumed senior status on July 20, 1990, and served until his death on July 24, 1997. Prior to joining the court, Brennan served as a justice for the Supreme Court of New Jersey.[1]
Brennan was one of five justices nominated to the court by President Eisenhower. He served during The Warren Court, The Burger Court and The Rehnquist Court.[2]
Early life and education
Brennan graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1928 and by 1931 had received his J.D. from Harvard Law School.[3]
Military service
During World II, Bennan served as an Army Judge Advocate General as a colonel from 1942 to 1946.[3]
Professional career
After law school, Brennan returned to his hometown of Newark, New Jersey and practiced labor law until 1949. After the war, Brennan was appointed to the New Jersey Superior Courts in 1949. In 1950, he was appointed to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court, and two years later, to the New Jersey Supreme Court.[3]
Judicial nominations and appointments
Supreme Court
Brennan was nominated to the Supreme Court with a recess appointment by President President Eisenhower on October 15, 1956, to a seat vacated by Justice Sherman Minton. He received his commission on March 21, 1957, went on senior status on July 20, 1990, and ended his service with his death on July 20, 1997.[1] He was succeeded to this post by Justice David Souter.
See also
External links
Footnotes
Political offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by: Sherman Minton |
Supreme Court 1957–1997 Seat #4 |
Succeeded by: David Souter
|
| |||
---|---|---|---|
1953 |
Boldt • Bruchhausen • Cecil • Dawkins, Jr. • Grooms • Hamlin • Hoffman • Knoch • Schnackenberg • Warren • Willson | ||
1954 |
Aldrich • Anderson • Bastian • Bicks • Bootle • Boreman • Breitenstein • Brooks • Cecil • Chambers • Choate • Christensen • Connell • Danaher • Dawson • Day • Fee • Freeman • Halbert • Harlan • Hincks • Hoffman • Holder • Hunter • Ingraham • Laramore • Kent • Lemmon • Lord • McGarraghy • Mickelson • Miller • Palmieri • Parkinson • Rogers • Ross • Stewart • Taylor • Thomsen • Tuttle • Van Oosterhout • Vogel • Walsh • Whittaker • Wilson | ||
1955 |
Alger • Brown • Cameron • Clarke • Davies • Devitt • East • Estes • Grubb • Harlan • Jertberg • Jones • Lumbard • McIlvaine • Miller • Register • Sorg • Van Dusen • Waterman • Watkins • Wortendyke • Wright | ||
1956 |
Barnes • Bryan • Burger • Cashin • Hamley • Herlands • Johnson • Juergens • Kerr • Kraft • Levet • Lewis • Lieb • Mercer • Morgan • Rich • Rizley • Robinson • Smith • Sobeloff • Weick • Whittaker | ||
1957 |
Arraj • Breitenstein • Brennan • Egan • Gignoux • Grant • Hastings • Haynsworth • Hicklin • Jameson • Layton • Moore • O'Sullivan • Parkinson • Richardson • Sirica • Stanley • Thompson • Van Pelt • Weber • Whittaker • Wisdom • Zavatt | ||
1958 |
Beck • Burke • Carswell • Clayton • Hamlin • Henley • Jertberg • Knoch • Martin • Matthes • Miner • Morrill • Poos • Robson • Stanley • Steel • Stewart • Wollenberg | ||
1959 |
Aldrich • Bartels • Blackmun • Boreman • Butler • Castle • Cecil • Crocker • Dalton • Field • Fisher • Forman • Friendly • Hart • Henderson • Henley • Julian • Kalbfleisch • Kilkenny • Koelsch • Kunzel • MacMahon • Merrill • Metzner • Powell • Smith • Sweigert • Walsh • Weick • Weinman • Wood • Worley • Young | ||
1960 |
Caffrey • Chilson • Durfee • Hodge • Kaess • Lane • Lewis • Mishler • O'Sullivan • Paul • Smith • Stephenson • Tavares • Timbers |
![]() |
State of New Jersey Trenton (capital) |
---|---|
Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |