Supreme Court Justices

Justices of the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court of the United States

• Chief Justice Roy Ashland — Milo O'Shea: Aging liberal Chief Justice who resigned in 2004 and replaced by Evelyn Baker Lang, the first woman Chief Justice. Ashland joined the Supreme Court in 1972, and became Chief Justice in 1992, though in 2003 it was stated that he had faced six administrations and "22 congresses" (meaning he may have served for 44 years). Born in 1922.
• Chief Justice Evelyn Baker Lang — Glenn Close (Season 5): Replaced Roy Ashland, who resigned in 2004. First woman Chief Justice. A liberal appointed by President Bartlet in a deal with Senate Republicans where they got to fill the seat of the deceased Owen Brady with a conservative, Christopher Mulready. The role was performed by Ann Ryerson at President Santos' Inauguration (Ep. 7.22).
• Justice Roberto Mendoza — Edward James Olmos (Ep. 1.9; 1.15): Controversial nominee appointed by President Bartlet to replace the liberal Justice Joseph Crouch, who was not fond of the President. Considered a liberal at the time of his appointment and still considered as such by Justice Mulready years later, though Josh (perhaps erroneously) lists him as one of the "centrists" (Ep. 5.17)
• Justice Christopher Mulready — William Fichtner: 48-year-old Conservative judge appointed by President Bartlet to replace the late conservative justice, Owen Brady. Was appointed in a deal with Senate Republicans that allowed Evelyn Baker Lang to be Chief Justice (Ep. 5.17)
• Justice Joseph Crouch — Mason Adams (Ep. 1.9): Aging liberal justice who retired in November 1999 and was replaced by Roberto Mendoza. Did not like President Bartlet. He began serving the year Bartlet entered college and served on the bench for 38 years, meaning he joined in 1961.
• Justice Owen Brady: Young conservative who died suddenly in 2004 at age 52 of a heart attack. He was described by both liberals and conservatives as a "young, brilliant mind." Replaced by Christopher Mulready, who described the Court as being at its best when "Brady was fighting Ashland." (Ep. 5.16 & 5.17)
• Justice Brannigan. Considered a centrist. (5.17)
• Justice Carmine. Considered a centrist. (5.17)
• Justice Henry Clark. Considered a centrist. (5.17)
• Justice Dreifort: Conservative justice who had Ainsley Hayes as a clerk. White House Counsel Lionel Tribbey describes him as "an idiot" who is "intolerant toward gays, lesbians, blacks, unions, women, poor people, and the First, Fourth, Fifth, and Ninth Amendments." (Ep. 2.5)
• Justice Hoyt. Considered a centrist. (5.17)
• Justice Lafayette. Considered a centrist. (5.17)
• Former Justice Weddington
• Former Chief Justice Henry Staub: Former liberal Chief Justice assumed to hold the position in the ensuing 6 years between the Burger Court (1969-1986) and the Ashland Court (1992-2004). Mentioned by Ashland in a respectful light during his retirement press conference. (5.17)

Court as of 1999: Ashland, Brady, Brannigan, Carmine, Clark, Crouch, Dreifort, Hoyt, LaFayette.

Court after 2000: Ashland, Brady, Brannigan, Carmine, Clark, Dreifort, Hoyt, LaFayette, Mendoza.

Court after 2004: Lang, Brannigan, Carmine, Clark, Dreifort, Hoyt, LaFayette, Mendoza, Mulready.

Based on a comment by Donna Moss in Episode 5.16, it's known that two of the Supreme Court justices were women, with Lang's appointment in 5.17 increasing this to three.

[[[List of politicians in The West Wing|edit]]] Other jurists

• Peyton Cabot Harrison III: His father was Eisenhower's Attorney General. A life-long Democrat, he clerked for Republican Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger and served as dean of the Harvard Law School. The first choice to fill Crouch's seat on the Supreme Court, he was ultimately rebuffed by Bartlet after expressing questionable views on the right to privacy.
• Ed Harrison
• Eric Hayden: Nominee to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
• Sharon Day — Brady Rubin: She swore in Glen Allen Walken as Acting President on May 8, 2003.
• E. Bradford Shelton — Robert Picardo: Considered for nomination to the Supreme Court. Shelton is a moderate judge because he refuses to position himself on issues, preferring to decide each case on the merits. His son once burned President Bartlet in effigy to protest military action in Saudi Arabia.