History of Amy Coney Barrett in Timeline
"Amy Vivian Coney Barrett is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Nominated by President Donald Trump in 2020, she is the fifth woman to serve on the nation's highest court. Before her Supreme Court appointment, Barrett served as a U.S. Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 2017 to 2020."
January 28, 1972: Amy Coney Barrett's Birth
On January 28, 1972, Amy Vivian Coney Barrett was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1972: Birth of Amy Coney Barrett
Amy Vivian Coney, later known as Amy Coney Barrett, was born in 1972 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1973: Roe v. Wade
In her 2013 article on "superprecedents," Barrett argued that Roe v. Wade (1973) didn't reach the same level of acceptance as other landmark cases and lacked widespread support to be considered immune to challenges.
1990: Graduation from St. Mary's Dominican High School
Amy Coney Barrett graduated from St. Mary's Dominican High School, an all-girls Roman Catholic high school in New Orleans, in 1990.
1990: Oral Arguments in Fulton v. Philadelphia
During oral arguments for Fulton v. Philadelphia in November 2020, Barrett's questions regarding the case, which involved Catholic Social Services' refusal to vet gay couples as foster parents on religious grounds and the city's Fair Practices Ordinance, were perceived as neutral, not revealing her stance on the matter. The case drew parallels to the 1990 Employment Division v. Smith decision regarding neutral and generally applicable laws.
1992: Planned Parenthood v. Casey
Barrett used Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) to demonstrate Roe v Wade's vulnerability to reconsideration, emphasizing the continued debate and contestation surrounding Roe's core principles.
1994: Graduation from Rhodes College
Amy Coney Barrett graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1994.
1994: Textualism and Precedent
In a discussion about textualism's connection to precedents, Barrett cited research suggesting that Justices Scalia and Black, both textualists, advocated for overturning more precedents than other justices up to 1994.
1997: Clerkship with Judge Laurence Silberman
Amy Coney Barrett began her judicial law clerkship with Judge Laurence Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1997.
1997: Graduation from Notre Dame Law School
Amy Coney Barrett graduated first in her class from Notre Dame Law School with a J.D. in 1997.
1998: Clerkship with Justice Antonin Scalia
Amy Coney Barrett began her clerkship with Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1998.
1998: Co-Authoring a Law Review Article
Amy Coney Barrett co-wrote a law review article with Professor John H. Garvey in 1998, arguing that Catholic judges should sometimes recuse themselves from death penalty cases due to moral objections.
1999: Joining Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin
Amy Coney Barrett began practicing law at Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin, a boutique law firm in Washington, D.C., in 1999.
1999: End of Clerkships
Amy Coney Barrett finished her judicial law clerkships in 1999.
1999: Amy Coney Barrett Marries Jesse M. Barrett
In 1999, Amy Coney Barrett married Jesse M. Barrett, a fellow Notre Dame Law School graduate, who later became a partner at SouthBank Legal - LaDue Curran & Kuehn LLC and a law professor at Notre Dame Law School.
2000: Work on Bush v. Gore
Amy Coney Barrett worked on Bush v. Gore in 2000, providing research and briefing assistance for Baker Botts' representation of George W. Bush in the lawsuit arising from the 2000 United States presidential election.
2001: Visiting Associate Professor at George Washington University Law School
Amy Coney Barrett served as a visiting associate professor and John M. Olin Fellow in Law at George Washington University Law School in 2001.
2001: Merger of Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin with Baker Botts
The law firm where Amy Coney Barrett worked, Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin, merged with Baker Botts in 2001.
2002: Joining Notre Dame Law School Faculty
Amy Coney Barrett became a faculty member at Notre Dame Law School in 2002.
2002: Leaving Baker Botts
In 2002, Amy Coney Barrett ended her time at Baker Botts, the law firm formed from the merger of Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin and Baker Botts.
2005: Amy Coney Barrett Joins the Federalist Society
Amy Coney Barrett became a member of the Federalist Society in 2005.
2005: The Barretts Adopt Their First Child From Haiti
In 2005, Amy Coney Barrett and her husband adopted their first child from Haiti.
2006: Amy Coney Barrett Leaves the Federalist Society
Amy Coney Barrett ended her first period of membership with the Federalist Society in 2006.
2006: Amy Coney Barrett Signs Anti-Abortion Advertisement
In 2006, Amy Coney Barrett publicly declared her opposition to abortion by signing an advertisement in a South Bend, Indiana newspaper. The advertisement, sponsored by St. Joseph County Right to Life, advocated for the end of abortion and the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
2007: Visiting Professor at the University of Virginia School of Law
Amy Coney Barrett was a visiting professor at the University of Virginia School of Law in 2007.
2010: Becoming a Professor at Notre Dame Law School
Amy Coney Barrett became a professor at Notre Dame Law School in 2010.
2010: Appointment to the Advisory Committee for the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure
Chief Justice John Roberts appointed Amy Coney Barrett to the Advisory Committee for the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure in 2010.
2010: The Barretts Adopt Their Second Child From Haiti
Following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Amy Coney Barrett and her husband adopted their second child from the country.
2010: Professor of Law at Notre Dame
In 2010, Amy Coney Barrett was named a professor of law at Notre Dame.
2010: Unique Distinction as Supreme Court Justice
Upon joining the Supreme Court, Barrett became the first justice since John Paul Stevens' retirement in 2010 to be appointed without an Ivy League degree. She is also the first Notre Dame Law School graduate and former faculty member to serve on the Court.
2011: Speaking at Blackstone Legal Fellowship
Amy Coney Barrett began speaking on constitutional law at Blackstone Legal Fellowship, a summer program for law school students, in 2011.
2011: Amy Coney Barrett Votes in the Democratic Primary
Amy Coney Barrett obtained a Democratic ballot in the 2011 primary election.
2012: Criticism of Obama Administration's Birth Control Coverage
In 2012, Barrett co-signed a letter opposing the Obama administration's policy of compelling religious employers to include birth control in employee health plans. The letter framed this policy as an infringement on religious freedom.
2012: National Federation of Independent Businesses v. Sebelius
In 2012, the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate in the case of National Federation of Independent Businesses v. Sebelius.
2013: Amy Coney Barrett's Continued Opposition to Abortion
In 2013, Amy Coney Barrett again demonstrated her opposition to abortion by signing a Notre Dame student newspaper advertisement criticizing Roe v. Wade and speaking at two anti-abortion events at the university.
2013: Stare Decisis and "Superprecedents"
In 2013, Barrett authored an article identifying seven cases she considered "superprecedents." This list included Brown v. Board of Education and Mapp v. Ohio but notably excluded Roe v. Wade.
2014: Amy Coney Barrett Re-Joins the Federalist Society
Amy Coney Barrett rejoined the Federalist Society in 2014.
2014: Diane and M.O. Miller II Research Chair of Law
From 2014 to 2017, Amy Coney Barrett held the position of Diane and M.O. Miller II Research Chair of Law at Notre Dame.
2016: End of Speaking Engagements at Blackstone Legal Fellowship
Amy Coney Barrett concluded her speaking engagements at Blackstone Legal Fellowship in 2016.
2016: Senate Republicans Refuse to Hold Hearings for Merrick Garland
In 2016, Senate Republicans refused to hold hearings for Merrick Garland, President Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court.
2016: Amy Coney Barrett's Voting Record
Public records indicate that Amy Coney Barrett participated in both the general election and the Republican primary of 2016.
May 8, 2017: Nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
President Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit on May 8, 2017.
September 6, 2017: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing regarding Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit took place on September 6, 2017.
October 5, 2017: Senate Judiciary Committee Recommendation
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11–9 on party lines to recommend Amy Coney Barrett for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit on October 5, 2017.
2017: Amy Coney Barrett Concludes Her Second Stint with the Federalist Society
Amy Coney Barrett concluded her second period of membership with the Federalist Society in 2017.
2017: Senate Confirmation Hearing for 7th Circuit Court of Appeals
During her 2017 confirmation hearing for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, Barrett affirmed her commitment to adhering to Supreme Court precedent.
2017: Appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals
In 2017, Amy Coney Barrett began her tenure as a U.S. circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, a position she held until 2020.
2017: Amy Coney Barrett Criticizes Chief Justice Roberts' Opinion on the Affordable Care Act
In 2017, Amy Coney Barrett wrote an article criticizing Chief Justice John Roberts' majority opinion on the Affordable Care Act, arguing that he had overstepped the bounds of plausible interpretation to save the statute.
2017: End of Tenure as Research Chair
In 2017, Amy Coney Barrett's time as the Diane and M.O. Miller II Research Chair of Law at Notre Dame ended.
2017: Scalia's Judicial Philosophy and Originalism
In 2017, Barrett praised Justice Scalia's textualist approach and originalism, emphasizing the importance of interpreting the Constitution based on its original public meaning and upholding the law as written.
2017: Barrett Sides with Denial of Rehearing in AutoZone Discrimination Case
In 2017, the Seventh Circuit heard a case where the EEOC alleged AutoZone discriminated against employees based on race in store assignments. The court initially rejected the government's appeal. While Barrett didn't write the opinion, she voted against a rehearing requested by three judges who saw the initial ruling as supporting segregation. The petition for rehearing was ultimately unsuccessful.
May 2018: Barrett's Dissent on Right to Counsel Gains Majority Support After Rehearing
In May 2018, Barrett dissented when a panel found that a murder suspect's right to counsel was violated when a judge questioned him while silencing his attorney. After a rehearing, a majority of the circuit judges sided with Barrett's position.
August 2018: Barrett Rules Police Lacked Probable Cause for Search Based on Anonymous Tip
In August 2018, Barrett authored a unanimous decision determining that police lacked probable cause to search a vehicle based solely on an anonymous tip claiming people were "playing with guns." Barrett argued that while responding to the tip was appropriate, immediately searching the vehicle was premature and violated the Fourth Amendment.
2018: Amy Coney Barrett Votes in the General Election
Amy Coney Barrett participated in the 2018 general election.
2018: Barrett Votes Against Striking Down Indiana Fetal Remains Law
In 2018, Barrett opposed striking down an Indiana law mandating the burial or cremation of fetal remains. Her vote was with the minority, and the law was later reinstated by the Supreme Court.
January 2019: Denial of Qualified Immunity in Civil Lawsuit
In January 2019, Barrett authored a unanimous decision denying qualified immunity to a homicide detective who provided false information in a probable cause affidavit. The court ruled that the detective's actions violated the plaintiff's Fourth Amendment rights and were not protected by qualified immunity.
February 2019: Barrett Upholds Chicago "Bubble Ordinance" Protecting Abortion Clinics
In February 2019, Barrett was part of a unanimous panel decision that upheld a Chicago ordinance establishing a buffer zone around abortion clinics. This ordinance prohibited approaching individuals without consent near these clinics. The court found the ordinance did not violate First Amendment rights, citing a Supreme Court precedent on buffer zones.
February 2019: Barrett Rules Against Search Based on Consent from Person with Questionable Authority
In February 2019, Barrett wrote for a unanimous panel finding that police were unreasonable in assuming a woman in a bathrobe who answered the door had the authority to consent to a search of a male suspect's home. The court ruled the search unconstitutional, and the evidence obtained was suppressed.
March 2019: Barrett Dissents in Case Upholding Felon Firearm Ban
In March 2019, Barrett dissented from a ruling that upheld a federal law preventing felons from owning firearms. The majority argued the law was related to preventing gun violence. Barrett argued that while this was a legitimate interest for violent felons, there was no evidence to support applying it to nonviolent offenders, and she believed it infringed on the Second Amendment.
May 2019: Barrett Upholds Visa Denial Based on Consular Nonreviewability
In May 2019, Barrett authored the majority opinion rejecting a U.S. citizen's challenge to a consular officer's denial of his wife's visa. Barrett invoked the doctrine of consular nonreviewability, stating that as the decision was legitimate on its face, the court wouldn't examine the officer's discretion. This decision was challenged but ultimately upheld.
June 2019: Barrett Authors Unanimous Decision in Purdue University Sexual Assault Case
In June 2019, Judge Barrett wrote the unanimous decision for a case involving a male Purdue University student who was found guilty of sexual assault. The student alleged the university's decision was discriminatory and violated his due process rights. The court agreed, finding that the university had not followed due process and had potentially discriminated against the student based on his sex. The case was remanded to the District Court.
2019: Barrett Upholds Summary Judgement in Racial Discrimination Case
In 2019, Barrett authored the panel opinion in a case where a Black employee alleged racial discrimination after being dismissed. While acknowledging the egregious nature of a racial slur used by a supervisor, Barrett's opinion found no evidence that the slur had impacted the employee's work environment or that his dismissal was due to anything other than his performance.
2019: Barrett Votes to Rehear Challenge to Indiana Parental Notification Law
In 2019, Barrett voted in favor of rehearing a successful challenge against Indiana's parental notification law for minors seeking abortions. She was in the minority, as the court had originally upheld the challenge.
June 2020: Barrett Dissents in Public Charge Rule Case
In June 2020, Barrett wrote a dissenting opinion when the court upheld an injunction against the Trump administration's "public charge" rule for green card applicants. Barrett argued that any individuals who disenrolled from government benefits due to the rule did so out of confusion, not because of the rule's application. She argued that the rule was within the executive branch's discretion under immigration law.
July 2020: Supreme Court Orders Rehearing for Indiana Parental Notification Case
In July 2020, the Supreme Court ordered a rehearing for a case concerning Indiana's parental notification law for minors seeking abortions. Barrett had previously voted with the minority against striking down the law.
September 2020: Upholding Denial of Injunction Against Illinois COVID-19 Orders
In early September 2020, Barrett joined an opinion upholding a lower court's decision to deny the Illinois Republican Party's request to block Governor J.B. Pritzker's COVID-19 orders.
September 18, 2020: Consideration as Potential Supreme Court Nominee
Following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18, 2020, Barrett became a front-runner to fill the Supreme Court vacancy.
September 26, 2020: Nomination to the Supreme Court
President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to succeed Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court of the United States on September 26, 2020.
October 27, 2020: Appointment as Associate Justice
Amy Coney Barrett began her service as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States on October 27, 2020, after being nominated by President Donald Trump.
November 2020: Assignment to the Seventh Circuit
In November 2020, Barrett was assigned to the Seventh Circuit, where her duties included addressing emergency applications arising from the circuit's jurisdiction.
November 26, 2020: Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo
On November 26, 2020, Barrett sided with the majority in a 5-4 vote, issuing a preliminary injunction against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's COVID-19 restrictions that impacted houses of worship. The court argued that Cuomo's order likely violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment by disproportionately targeting religious institutions.
December 2020: Trump Pardons Plaintiff in Felon Firearm Case
In December 2020, President Trump pardoned Rickey Kanter, the plaintiff in the case where Barrett dissented on the federal law barring felons from possessing firearms. Kanter had been convicted of felony mail fraud.
2020: Nomination, Confirmation, and Senate Hearings for Supreme Court
In 2020, the American Bar Association rated Barrett "well qualified" for the Supreme Court. Her nomination hearings, scheduled amidst a White House COVID-19 outbreak, commenced on October 12th and lasted four days. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved her confirmation, and on October 26th, she was confirmed to the Supreme Court by a vote of 52-48.
2020: Nomination Acceptance Speech
In her 2020 White House Rose Garden acceptance speech, Barrett reiterated her belief that judges should not act as policymakers, but rather apply the law as written, impartially setting aside personal policy views.
February 5, 2021: South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom
On February 5, 2021, Barrett delivered her first concurring opinion in the case of South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom.
March 4, 2021: United States Fish and Wildlife Service v. Sierra Club
On March 4, 2021, Barrett authored her first majority opinion for a divided court in the case of United States Fish and Wildlife Service v. Sierra Club.
June 2021: Fulton v. City of Philadelphia
In June 2021, Barrett joined a unanimous decision in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, supporting a Catholic social service agency denied funding for refusing to place children with same-sex couples. The ruling upheld Employment Division v. Smith.
August 12, 2021: Rejection of Challenge to Indiana University's Vaccine Mandate
On August 12, 2021, Barrett rejected a challenge to Indiana University's vaccine mandate, marking the first legal test of COVID-19 vaccine mandates to reach the Supreme Court.
September 2021: Texas Abortion Law
In September 2021, Barrett joined a 5-4 majority to reject a petition to block a Texas law prohibiting abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
November 2021: Mercy San Juan Medical Center Case
In November 2021, Barrett voted with the 6-3 majority to dismiss an appeal from Mercy San Juan Medical Center, a Catholic hospital refusing to perform a hysterectomy on a transgender patient. The decision upheld the lower court ruling favoring the patient.
January 2022: Alabama Execution Case
In January 2022, Barrett joined the dissenting opinion in a 5-4 vote that allowed the execution of an inmate in Alabama to proceed.
June 2022: Dobbs v. Jackson
In June 2022, Barrett joined the same 5-4 majority in Dobbs v. Jackson to overturn both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
November 2023: Washington Conversion Therapy Ban
In November 2023, Barrett sided with the 6-3 majority declining to review a decision that supported Washington's prohibition of conversion therapy for minors.
