History of Amy Coney Barrett in Timeline

Amy Coney Barrett is an American lawyer and jurist who serves as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 2020. She is the fifth woman to hold this position. Nominated by President Donald Trump, Barrett previously served as a U.S. circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 2017 to 2020. Her appointment to the Supreme Court was politically charged, reflecting broader debates about the court's ideological balance.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

January 28, 1972: Amy Coney Barrett Born

On January 28, 1972, Amy Vivian Coney Barrett was born. She would later become an American lawyer and jurist, and eventually an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Others born on this day/year

1972: Born in New Orleans

In 1972, Amy Vivian Coney was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the eldest of seven children.

Others born on this day/year

1973: Mention of Roe v. Wade

In a 2013 article, Barrett referenced Roe v. Wade which originally took place in 1973. She did not consider it to be superprecedent.

1990: Graduated from High School

In 1990, Amy Coney Barrett graduated from St. Mary's Dominican High School in New Orleans, where she was student body vice president.

1990: Employment Division v. Smith

On November 4, the Court heard Fulton v. Philadelphia, which cited the Court's 1990 decision Employment Division v. Smith, which allows the government to enforce neutral and generally applicable laws without having to make exceptions for individual religions.

1992: Mention of Planned Parenthood v. Casey

In a 2013 article, Barrett referenced Planned Parenthood v. Casey which originally took place in 1992. She used it as an example of evidence that Roe v. Wade had not attained superprecedent status, as it was still fiercely contested.

1994: Referenced Study by Michael Gerhardt

Barrett referenced a study by Michael Gerhardt in 1994, which examined the relationship of textualism to precedent. The study found that textualist justices, including Scalia and Black, called for overruling more precedents than non-textualist justices.

1994: Graduated from Rhodes College

In 1994, Amy Coney Barrett graduated magna cum laude from Rhodes College with a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and a minor in French. She was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Beta Kappa and was named the most outstanding English department graduate.

1997: Clerked for Judge Silberman

From 1997 to 1998, Amy Coney Barrett clerked for Judge Laurence Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

1997: Graduated from Notre Dame Law School

In 1997, Amy Coney Barrett graduated first in her class with a J.D. from Notre Dame Law School and then clerked for Judge Laurence Silberman and Justice Antonin Scalia.

1998: Clerked for Justice Scalia

From 1998 to 1999, Amy Coney Barrett clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court.

1998: Co-Wrote Law Review Article

In 1998, Amy Coney Barrett co-wrote a law review article with Professor John H. Garvey, a point of discussion during her 2017 confirmation hearing. The article discussed Catholic judges recusing themselves from death penalty cases.

1999: Joined Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin

In 1999, Amy Coney Barrett began practicing law at Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin, a litigation firm in Washington, D.C.

1999: End of Supreme Court clerkship

In 1999, Amy Coney Barrett's clerkship with Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court concluded.

1999: Marriage to Jesse Barrett

In 1999, Barrett married Jesse M. Barrett, a fellow Notre Dame Law School graduate and a partner at SouthBank Legal – LaDue Curran & Kuehn LLC, in South Bend, Indiana.

2000: Worked on Bush v. Gore

In 2000, while at Baker Botts, Amy Coney Barrett provided research and briefing assistance for the firm's representation of George W. Bush in Bush v. Gore following the United States presidential election.

2001: Visiting Professor at George Washington

In 2001, Amy Coney Barrett was a visiting associate professor and John M. Olin Fellow in Law at George Washington University Law School.

2001: Baker Botts Merger

In 2001, Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin, where Amy Coney Barrett practiced law, merged with Baker Botts, a Houston-based law firm.

2002: Left Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin

In 2002, Amy Coney Barrett ended her practice at Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin, transitioning to academia at Notre Dame Law School.

2002: Joined Notre Dame Law Faculty

In 2002, Amy Coney Barrett joined the faculty at Notre Dame Law School, marking the beginning of her academic career there.

2005: Joined Federalist Society

Barrett became a member of the Federalist Society in 2005.

2005: First Child Adopted

In 2005, Barrett and her husband adopted their first child from Haiti.

2006: Anti-Abortion Advertisement

In 2006, Barrett signed an advertisement placed by St. Joseph County Right to Life, an anti-abortion group, in a South Bend, Indiana, newspaper, opposing abortion on demand and defending the right to life from fertilization to natural death.

2006: Member of Federalist Society

In 2006, Barrett was a member of the Federalist Society.

2007: Visiting Professor at University of Virginia

In 2007, Amy Coney Barrett was a visiting professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, expanding her academic reach.

2010: Second Child Adopted

After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Barrett and her husband adopted their second child from Haiti.

2010: Became a Professor

In 2010, Amy Coney Barrett became a professor at Notre Dame Law School, building upon her faculty position.

2010: Named Professor of Law at Notre Dame

In 2010, Amy Coney Barrett was named a professor of law at Notre Dame, solidifying her position within the institution.

2010: Appointed to Advisory Committee

In 2010, Chief Justice John Roberts appointed Amy Coney Barrett to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, a role signifying her expertise in appellate law.

2010: Retirement of John Paul Stevens

Upon joining the Court, Barrett became the only justice who did not receive their Juris Doctor from Harvard or Yale. She is also the first justice without an Ivy League degree since the 2010 retirement of John Paul Stevens.

2011: Democratic Primary Ballot

According to Politico, Barrett pulled a Democratic ballot in the 2011 primary.

2011: Speaker at Blackstone Legal Fellowship

From 2011 to 2016, Amy Coney Barrett spoke on constitutional law at Blackstone Legal Fellowship, a summer program for law school students established by the Alliance Defending Freedom.

2012: National Federation of Independent Businesses v. Sebelius

In 2012, Barrett criticized the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts in National Federation of Independent Businesses v. Sebelius, which upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate.

2012: Letter Criticizing Obama Administration

In 2012, Barrett signed a letter criticizing the Obama administration's approach to providing employees of religious institutions with birth control coverage without religious institutions paying for it, calling it an "assault" to religious liberty.

2013: Texas Law Review Article

In 2013, Barrett listed cases she considered "superprecedents" in an article in the Texas Law Review, including Brown v. Board of Education and Mapp v. Ohio, but specifically excluded Roe v. Wade (1973). She stated that Roe v. Wade had not achieved widespread support from jurists, politicians, and the public to become immune to reversal or challenge.

2013: Anti-Roe v. Wade Ad

In 2013, Barrett signed another ad against Roe v. Wade that appeared in Notre Dame's student newspaper and described the decision as having "killed 55 million unborn children". Also in 2013, she spoke at two anti-abortion events at the university.

2014: Rejoined Federalist Society

Barrett rejoined the Federalist Society in 2014.

2014: Held Research Chair of Law at Notre Dame

From 2014 to 2017, Amy Coney Barrett held Notre Dame's Diane and M.O. Miller II Research Chair of Law, a distinguished position recognizing her scholarly contributions.

2016: Voted in 2016 general election and Republican primary

According to Politico, Barrett voted in the 2016 general election and the 2016 Republican primary.

2016: Final year as Speaker at Blackstone Legal Fellowship

In 2016, Amy Coney Barrett concluded her time as a speaker on constitutional law at the Blackstone Legal Fellowship.

2016: Merrick Garland Hearings Refused

In 2016, Senate Republicans refused to hold hearings for Merrick Garland during an election year, an event that became a point of contention during Barrett's nomination in 2020.

2016: Comparison to Garland Nomination

In 2020, many observers were angered by the move to fill the Supreme Court vacancy only four months before the end of Trump's term, as the Senate Republican majority had refused to consider President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland in 2016, more than ten months before the end of his presidency.

May 8, 2017: Nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals

On May 8, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

September 6, 2017: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

On September 6, 2017, a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing was held on Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. During the hearing, Senator Dianne Feinstein questioned Barrett about her views on faith and the role of a judge.

October 5, 2017: Senate Judiciary Committee Recommended Barrett

On October 5, 2017, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-9 along party lines to recommend Amy Coney Barrett and report her nomination to the full Senate.

2017: Senate Confirmation Hearing

During her 2017 Senate confirmation hearing for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, Barrett stated that she would follow Supreme Court precedent while on the appellate bench.

2017: Appointed to U.S. Court of Appeals

In 2017, Amy Coney Barrett became a U.S. circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, a role she held until 2020.

2017: AutoZone Civil Lawsuit

In 2017, Amy Coney Barrett joined the Seventh Circuit court as it received a petition for rehearing en banc regarding a civil lawsuit against AutoZone. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission argued that AutoZone's assignment of employees to different stores based on race violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Barrett voted to deny the petition to rehear the case.

2017: End of Research Chair of Law

In 2017, Amy Coney Barrett's term as Notre Dame's Diane and M.O. Miller II Research Chair of Law concluded.

2017: Member of Federalist Society

In 2017, Barrett was a member of the Federalist Society.

2017: Constitutional Commentary Article

In 2017, Barrett wrote an article in the law review Constitutional Commentary, reviewing a book by Randy E. Barnett. In the article, Barrett expressed her belief in adhering to the Constitution's original public meaning, stating that it is the law and must be followed even if it conflicts with the preferences of a current majority.

2017: Barrett's Critique of Affordable Care Act Ruling

In 2017, Barrett wrote that Chief Justice Roberts had stretched the Affordable Care Act beyond its plausible meaning to save the statute. She stated that had he treated the payment as a penalty, he would have had to invalidate the statute.

2017: Potential Supreme Court Nominee

Since 2017, Barrett was on Trump's list of potential Supreme Court nominees, almost immediately after her court of appeals confirmation.

May 2018: Dissent on Right to Counsel

In May 2018, Barrett dissented when the panel majority found that an accused murderer's right to counsel was violated. Her position was later agreed with by a majority of the circuit's judges following a rehearing en banc.

June 2018: Opinion on Pharmaceutical Defects

In June 2018, Barrett wrote for the unanimous panel that a plaintiff could not sue Teva Pharmaceuticals for alleged defects in her IUD due to the lack of supportive expert testimony, writing, "the issue of causation in her case is not obvious."

July 2018: Finalist for Supreme Court Nomination

In July 2018, after Justice Anthony Kennedy's retirement announcement, Barrett was reportedly one of three finalists Trump considered for the Supreme Court nomination.

August 2018: Opinion on Vehicle Search

In August 2018, Barrett wrote for a unanimous panel that the police lacked probable cause to search a vehicle based solely on an anonymous tip about people "playing with guns", as no crime had been alleged.

2018: Voted in 2018 general election

According to Politico, Barrett voted in the 2018 general election.

2018: Possible Future Nominee

After Kavanaugh's selection in 2018, Barrett was viewed as a possible nominee for a future U.S. Supreme Court vacancy.

2018: Voted Against Striking Down Fetal Remains Law

In 2018, Amy Coney Barrett voted against striking down an Indiana law requiring burial or cremation of fetal remains, aligning with the minority in the decision.

2018: Wetland Jurisdiction Case

In 2018, Barrett joined a unanimous panel decision regarding a property developer's challenge to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' determination that a wetland was among the "waters of the United States." The court found that the Corps had not provided substantial evidence to maintain jurisdiction over the land and remanded the case.

2018: Qualified Immunity Decision

In 2018, Barrett was part of a three-judge panel that found qualified immunity did not protect a prison officer who labeled a prisoner a "snitch", exposing him to risk from fellow inmates.

January 2019: Opinion on Qualified Immunity

In January 2019, Barrett wrote for a unanimous panel denying qualified immunity to a homicide detective who provided false information to obtain an arrest warrant. The court found that the detective violated the plaintiff's Fourth Amendment rights.

February 2019: Joined Decision Upholding Chicago Bubble Ordinance

In February 2019, Amy Coney Barrett joined a unanimous panel decision upholding a Chicago "bubble ordinance" that prohibits approaching within a certain distance of an abortion clinic or its patrons without consent.

February 2019: Opinion on Consent to Search

In February 2019, Barrett wrote for a unanimous panel finding that police officers were unreasonable to assume that a woman answering the door in a bathrobe had the authority to consent to a search of a male suspect's residence. Therefore, the motion to suppress evidence should have been granted.

March 2019: Dissent on Felon Firearm Ban

In March 2019, Barrett dissented when the court upheld the federal law prohibiting felons from possessing firearms. She argued that the law violates the Second Amendment because there is no evidence that denying guns to nonviolent felons promotes the government's interest in preventing gun violence.

May 2019: Decision on Visa Application Denial

In May 2019, Amy Coney Barrett authored a 2-1 majority opinion rejecting a challenge to a consular officer's decision to deny a Yemeni citizen's visa application. The court held that the claim was properly dismissed under the doctrine of consular nonreviewability.

June 2019: Reinstated Purdue University Suit

In June 2019, Amy Coney Barrett wrote a unanimous decision reinstating a suit brought by a male Purdue University student, John Doe, who alleged sex discrimination and violation of due process. He was suspended, lost his Navy ROTC scholarship, and was expelled from the ROTC.

June 2019: Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

In June 2019, Barrett wrote for the unanimous panel when it found that the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act cannot create a cause of action for a debtor who received collection letters lacking notices required by the statute because she suffered no injury-in-fact to create constitutional standing to sue under Article III.

2019: Vote to Rehear Parental Notification Law Challenge

In 2019, Amy Coney Barrett voted to rehear a successful challenge to Indiana's parental notification law.

2019: Wrote Opinion in Smith v. Illinois Department of Transportation

In 2019, Amy Coney Barrett wrote the unanimous three-judge panel opinion affirming summary judgment in the case of Smith v. Illinois Department of Transportation. The case involved a Black employee's claim of racial discrimination.

June 2020: Dissent on Public Charge Rule

In June 2020, Amy Coney Barrett wrote a 40-page dissent against a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration's "public charge rule", which heightened the standard for obtaining a green card.

July 2020: Rehearing Ordered in Parental Notification Case

In July 2020, the Supreme Court ordered a rehearing in the parental notification case, in which Amy Coney Barrett had previously voted to rehear a successful challenge to Indiana's parental notification law in 2019.

August 2020: Teamsters Standing Appeal

In August 2020, Barrett wrote for the unanimous panel holding that a Teamsters local did not have standing to appeal an order in the Shakman case, as it was not formally a party to the case.

September 2020: COVID-19 Order

In early September 2020, Barrett joined Wood's opinion upholding the district court's denial of the Illinois Republican Party's request for a preliminary injunction to block Governor J. B. Pritzker's COVID-19 orders.

September 18, 2020: Death of Justice Ginsburg

On September 18, 2020, after the death of Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Barrett was widely mentioned as the front-runner to succeed her.

September 26, 2020: Nomination to the Supreme Court

On September 26, 2020, Amy Coney Barrett was nominated by President Trump to succeed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court, a move that sparked considerable controversy due to its proximity to the presidential election.

October 27, 2020: Swearing-In Ceremony

On October 27, 2020, Barrett became the 103rd associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She took the judicial oath, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts, the next day.

November 2020: Assignment to Seventh Circuit

In November 2020, Barrett was assigned to the Seventh Circuit, with duties including responding to emergency applications to the Court.

November 26, 2020: COVID-19 Restrictions Decision

On November 26, 2020, Barrett joined the Supreme Court's majority in Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo, in an unsigned 5–4 preliminary injunction in favor of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and the Orthodox Jewish organization Agudath Israel of America, saying that certain COVID-19 restrictions instituted by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had likely violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.

December 2020: Presidential Pardon for Plaintiff

In December 2020, President Trump pardoned Rickey Kanter, the plaintiff in the case where Barrett dissented against the felon firearm ban in March 2019.

2020: Appointed to Supreme Court

In 2020, Amy Coney Barrett became an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, marking a significant milestone in her career.

2020: Nomination Opposition

In 2020, Barrett's nomination was generally opposed by Democrats, particularly due to filling the vacancy close to the election. Republicans generally supported the nomination, and she was a favorite among the Christian right and social conservatives.

2020: Nomination Acceptance Speech

In 2020, during her nomination acceptance speech at the White House Rose Garden, Barrett said, "Judges are not policymakers, and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they might hold"; she also said judges "must apply the law as written". She explained her view of precedent in response to questions at the hearing.

2020: Supreme Court Confirmation

In 2020, the American Bar Association rated Barrett "well qualified" for the Supreme Court opening. The Senate confirmed Barrett to the Supreme Court on October 26 by a vote of 52–48.

February 5, 2021: First Concurring Opinion

On February 5, 2021, Barrett delivered her first concurring opinion in the case South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom.

March 4, 2021: First Majority Opinion

On March 4, 2021, Justice Barrett wrote her first majority opinion in United States Fish and Wildlife Service v. Sierra Club. Unlike some of her colleagues, her first opinion was for a divided court, similar to Justice Ginsburg.

June 2021: Fulton v. City of Philadelphia Ruling

In June 2021, Barrett joined a unanimous decision in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, ruling in favor of a Catholic social service agency denied funding for not adopting to same-sex couples and declined to overturn Employment Division v. Smith. Also in June 2021, Barrett was among six justices who rejected the appeal of a Washington State florist who refused to sell floral arrangements to a same-sex couple due to religious beliefs.

August 12, 2021: Rejection of Vaccine Mandate Challenge

On August 12, 2021, Barrett rejected a challenge to Indiana University's vaccine mandate, marking the first legal test of COVID-19 vaccine mandates before the Supreme Court of the United States.

September 2021: Texas Abortion Law

In September 2021, Barrett joined the majority, in a 5–4 vote, to reject a petition to temporarily block a Texas law banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.

November 2021: Mercy San Juan Medical Center Case

In November 2021, Barrett voted with the majority in a 6–3 decision to reject an appeal from Mercy San Juan Medical Center, a Catholic hospital that sought to deny a hysterectomy to a transgender patient on religious grounds. The Court's decision left in place a lower court ruling in favor of the transgender patient. Justices Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch dissented.

January 2022: Dissent on Execution

In January 2022, the Supreme Court voted to allow the execution of an inmate to proceed in Alabama; the case was decided by a 5–4 vote, with Barrett joining Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan in dissent.

June 2022: Overturning Roe v. Wade

In June 2022, Barrett joined with the majority in Dobbs v. Jackson, voting to completely overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

November 2023: Washington's Ban on Conversion Therapy

In November 2023, Barrett voted with the 6–3 majority to decline to hear an appeal of a decision that upheld Washington's ban on conversion therapy for minors, allowing the law to stand. Kavanaugh, Thomas, and Alito dissented.