Career Timeline of Samuel Alito: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Samuel Alito built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Samuel Alito is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, nominated by President George W. Bush. He has served on the court since January 31, 2006. Alito is the second Italian American justice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, following Antonin Scalia.

Sections (4)

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

1964: Dissenting Opinion on Title VII Interpretation

In 2020, Alito wrote a dissent, joined by Thomas, to Bostock v. Clayton County, arguing that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. He also criticized the majority's interpretation of Title VII.

1975: Juris Doctor from Yale

In 1975, Samuel Alito earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School, where he also served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal.

1976: Clerkship for Judge Garth

In 1976, after graduating from law school, Samuel Alito clerked for Third Circuit appeals judge Leonard I. Garth in Newark, New Jersey.

1977: Assistant US Attorney

From 1977, Samuel Alito served as Assistant United States Attorney, District of New Jersey.

1981: Assistant to U.S. Solicitor General

From 1981, Samuel Alito was Assistant to U.S. Solicitor General Rex E. Lee, arguing cases before the Supreme Court.

1981: Continued as Assistant US Attorney

In 1981, Samuel Alito was still serving as Assistant United States Attorney, District of New Jersey.

1985: Deputy Assistant Attorney General

From 1985, Samuel Alito served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General under Charles J. Cooper in the Office of Legal Counsel.

1985: Continued as Assistant to U.S. Solicitor General

In 1985, Samuel Alito was still serving as Assistant to U.S. Solicitor General Rex E. Lee.

1986: Authored Memoranda

In 1986, Samuel Alito authored nearly 470 pages of memoranda arguing for expanding his client's law enforcement and personnel authorities.

1986: Thornburgh v. American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists

In 1986, the Supreme Court ruled against Charles Fried in Thornburgh v. American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, after Fried rejected a memo from Samuel Alito.

1987: US Attorney for the District of New Jersey

From 1987, Samuel Alito served as the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

1987: Continued as Deputy Assistant Attorney General

In 1987, Samuel Alito continued to serve as Deputy Assistant Attorney General under Charles J. Cooper in the Office of Legal Counsel.

March 1988: Sought Extradition Rehearing

In March 1988, Samuel Alito sought a rehearing of extradition proceedings against two Indian men after discovering his prosecutor had sent death threats to herself.

August 1988: Accetturo Trial Ends

In August 1988, the two-year trial of 20 defendants accused of being mob affiliates of Anthony Accetturo ended in their acquittal.

1989: Prosecution of Japanese Red Army Member

In 1989, Samuel Alito prosecuted a member of the Japanese Red Army for planning a terrorist bombing in Manhattan.

February 20, 1990: Nomination to the Third Circuit

On February 20, 1990, President George H.W. Bush nominated Samuel Alito to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

April 27, 1990: Confirmation to the Third Circuit

On April 27, 1990, Samuel Alito was confirmed by unanimous consent in the Senate to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

1990: Appointed as a Judge

In 1990, Samuel Alito was appointed as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

1990: Continued as US Attorney

In 1990, Samuel Alito was still the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

1999: Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall

From 1999 to 2004, Alito was an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark, teaching courses in constitutional law and a course on terrorism and civil liberties.

2003: Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act

In 2003, Congress passed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, leading to the Gonzales v. Carhart lawsuit. This occurred after the Court's decision in Stenberg v. Carhart, and following changes in the Court's membership, with Alito replacing O'Connor.

2004: End of Tenure at Seton Hall

In 2004, Alito's time as an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark concluded, after teaching courses in constitutional law and a course on terrorism and civil liberties since 1999.

October 31, 2005: Nomination to the Supreme Court

On October 31, 2005, Samuel Alito was nominated to the Supreme Court of the United States by President George W. Bush.

2005: Differing Views from Justice Scalia

In 2005, Alito's views were shown to differ from those of Justice Scalia, despite the nickname "Scalito," as seen in the Michael Taylor case and other cases during the 2005 term. SCOTUSblog analysis showed that Alito and Scalia agreed on the result of 86% of decisions and concurred fully in 75% of them.

January 31, 2006: Service on the Supreme Court begins

On January 31, 2006, Samuel Alito began his service as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

February 1, 2006: First Supreme Court Decision

On February 1, 2006, Alito participated in his first decision on the Supreme Court, voting with the majority (6–3) to refuse Missouri's request to vacate the stay of execution for death-row inmate Michael Taylor. Justices Roberts, Scalia and Thomas favored vacating the stay.

May 1, 2006: First Supreme Court Opinion

On May 1, 2006, Samuel Alito delivered his first written Supreme Court opinion in Holmes v. South Carolina.

2006: Confirmation Hearing

From January 9 to 13, 2006, Samuel Alito's confirmation hearing was held, where he answered approximately 700 questions over 18 hours of testimony.

April 18, 2007: Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act Upheld

On April 18, 2007, the Supreme Court ruled the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act constitutional. Kennedy wrote for the five-justice majority, asserting that Congress had the power to ban the procedure while leaving open the possibility of as-applied challenges. He stated that the statute aligned with prior decisions in Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and Stenberg v. Carhart.

2007: Morse v. Frederick Decision

In the 2007 landmark free speech case Morse v. Frederick, Alito joined Roberts's majority decision that speech advocating drug use can be banned in public schools. He also cautioned that the ruling should not interfere with political speech, such as discussions of medical marijuana.

2008: Gomez-Perez v. Potter Decision

In 2008, Alito wrote the majority opinion in Gomez-Perez v. Potter, a worker protection case. The decision allowed federal workers who face retaliation after filing age discrimination complaints to sue for damages, siding with the court's liberal bloc.

2008: Delivered Supreme Court Historical Society Lecture

In 2008, Samuel Alito delivered the Supreme Court Historical Society's Annual Lecture, "The Origin of the Baseball Antitrust Exemption".

2010: Majority opinion in McDonald v. Chicago

In 2010, Alito wrote the majority opinion in the case of McDonald v. Chicago regarding firearm rights.

2011: Visiting Professor at Duke University

In fall 2011, Alito was a visiting professor at Duke University School of Law, teaching Current Issues in Constitutional Interpretation.

2012: Teaching at Duke University

In summer 2012, Alito taught a course in the Master of Laws in Judicial Studies program as a visiting professor at Duke University School of Law.

June 2014: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Decision

In June 2014, the Supreme Court handed down the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby decision. Alito authored the decision favorable to anti-abortion conservatives. Weeks before, Rob Schenck claimed to have learned of the outcome from Gayle Wright, who had recently had lunch with Alito.

2014: Majority opinion in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby

In 2014, Alito wrote the majority opinion in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, a case concerning insurance coverage.

2018: Majority opinion in Janus v. AFSCME

In 2018, Samuel Alito wrote the majority opinion in Janus v. AFSCME, which concerned public-sector union security agreements.

October 2020: Denial of Appeal Filed by Kim Davis

In October 2020, Alito agreed with the other justices on the denial of an appeal filed by Kim Davis, a county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

February 2022: Circulation of Draft Opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson

In February 2022, Alito's first draft of the majority opinion for Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which would overturn Roe v. Wade, was circulated among the Supreme Court justices.

May 2, 2022: Leak of Draft Opinion Overturning Roe v. Wade

On May 2, 2022, Politico published a leaked first draft of a majority opinion by Alito, circulated among the justices in February 2022, for the upcoming decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. The opinion would overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

June 24, 2022: Roe v. Wade Overturned

On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court handed down the ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Alito wrote that "Roe was egregiously wrong from the start" and that it had "enflamed debate and deepened division".

July 2022: Public Comments on Overturning Roe v. Wade

In July 2022, Alito made his first public comments on the ruling overturning Roe v. Wade at a Notre Dame Law School event in Rome. He mocked foreign leaders, including Boris Johnson and Prince Harry, for criticizing the decision.

October 2022: Comments on Assassination Threats and Court Integrity

During an October 2022 talk at The Heritage Foundation, Alito mentioned that the leaked opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization made some justices "targets for assassination". He also said that "questioning [the Court's] integrity crosses an important line", viewed as criticism of Kagan's statements.

2022: Majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization

In 2022, Alito wrote the majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, a case regarding abortion.

April 21, 2023: Dissent on Mifepristone Ruling

On April 21, 2023, Alito dissented when the Supreme Court reversed a ruling by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk that would have banned mifepristone (an emergency contraception medication) nationwide.