History of Samuel Alito in Timeline
Samuel Alito is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, nominated by President George W. Bush and serving since 2006. He is the second Italian American justice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
1913: Antonino Alati's Immigration to Philadelphia
In 1913, Antonino Alati (later anglicized to Anthony Alito), Samuel Alito's paternal grandfather, sailed from Italy to Philadelphia aboard the SS Ancona.
1914: Births of Alito's Parents
In 1914, both of Samuel Alito's parents, Samuel A. Alito Sr. (born Salvatore Alati) and Rose Fradusco, were born. Samuel A. Alito Sr. was a Calabrian immigrant, and Rose Fradusco was an Italian-American.
1926: Publication of 'Notes on Democracy'
In 1926, 'Notes on Democracy' was published.
1930: Publication of 'I'll Take My Stand'
In 1930, the book 'I'll Take My Stand' was published.
1941: Publication of 'The Managerial Revolution'
In 1941, the book 'The Managerial Revolution' was published.
1948: Publication of 'Ideas Have Consequences'
In 1948, the book 'Ideas Have Consequences' was published.
April 1, 1950: Samuel Alito Jr. Born
On April 1, 1950, Samuel Anthony Alito Jr. was born. He is currently an American jurist serving as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
1951: Publication of 'God and Man at Yale'
In 1951, the book 'God and Man at Yale' was published.
1952: Alito's Father Appointed Director of NJ Office of Legislative Services
In 1952, Samuel A. Alito Sr., Samuel Alito Jr.'s father, became the first director of the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services, a state government position.
1953: Publication of 'The Conservative Mind'
In 1953, the book 'The Conservative Mind' was published.
1960: Publication of 'The Conscience of a Conservative'
In 1960, the book 'The Conscience of a Conservative' was published.
1963: Death of Antonino Alati
In 1963, Antonino Alati, Samuel Alito's paternal grandfather, passed away. He had immigrated to Philadelphia from Italy in 1913.
1964: Publication of 'A Choice Not an Echo'
In 1964, the book 'A Choice Not an Echo' was published.
1964: Civil Rights Act of 1964
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 by sexual orientation or gender identity and criticizing the majority's interpretation of Title VII.
1964: Barry Goldwater's Presidential Campaign
In his 1985 application for Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Samuel Alito named Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign as a major influence, along with William F. Buckley, Jr., and the National Review. He also expressed concern about Warren Court decisions.
1968: Graduation from Steinert High School
In 1968, Samuel Alito graduated from Steinert High School as the class valedictorian before attending Princeton University.
December 1969: Low Lottery Number in Selective Service Drawing
In December 1969, while a sophomore at Princeton, Samuel Alito received a low lottery number of 32 in the Selective Service drawing. He subsequently became a member of the school's Army ROTC program.
1971: Chaired Student Conference on Privacy
In 1971, while at Princeton, Samuel Alito chaired a student conference titled "The Boundaries of Privacy in American Society". The conference supported curbs on domestic intelligence gathering and anticipated the need for a statute to oversee national security surveillance. It also called for decriminalizing sodomy and ending discrimination against gay people in hiring.
1972: Graduation from Princeton University
In 1972, Samuel Alito graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. His senior thesis was titled "An Introduction to the Italian Constitutional Court".
1972: Commissioned as Second Lieutenant
In 1972, Samuel Alito was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve.
1972: Graduation Year Book Wish
In 1972, upon graduating Princeton, Samuel Alito wrote in his yearbook that he hoped to "eventually warm a seat on the Supreme Court".
1975: Began Military Duty
In 1975, Samuel Alito began his military duty after graduating from law school. He served on active duty from September to December while attending the Signal Officer Basic Course at Fort Gordon, Georgia.
1975: Earned Juris Doctor from Yale Law School
In 1975, Samuel Alito earned a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School, where he also served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal.
1976: Clerked for Judge Leonard I. Garth
In 1976, Samuel Alito clerked for Third Circuit appeals judge Leonard I. Garth in Newark, New Jersey.
1977: Clerked for Judge Leonard I. Garth and assistant U.S. Attorney
In 1977, Samuel Alito clerked for Third Circuit appeals judge Leonard I. Garth and between 1977 and 1981, Alito was Assistant United States Attorney, District of New Jersey.
1980: Honorably Discharged from Inactive Reserve
In 1980, Samuel Alito completed his service obligation as a member of the inactive reserve and was honorably discharged.
1981: Assistant to U.S. Solicitor General
From 1981, Samuel Alito served as Assistant to U.S. Solicitor General Rex E. Lee. In this role, he argued 12 cases before the Supreme Court.
1981: Assistant United States Attorney
In 1981, Samuel Alito was Assistant United States Attorney, District of New Jersey.
1984: Alito's Father Retirement
In 1984, Samuel A. Alito Sr., Samuel Alito Jr.'s father retired from his position as the first director of the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services.
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 during Attorney General Edwin Meese's tenure.
1985: Marriage to Martha-Ann Bomgardner
In 1985, Alito married Martha-Ann Bomgardner, a law librarian who met him during his trips to the library as a law clerk. They have two children.
1985: Assistant to U.S. Solicitor General
In 1985, Samuel Alito served as Assistant to U.S. Solicitor General Rex E. Lee. In this role, he argued cases before the Supreme Court.
1986: Authored Memoranda as Deputy Assistant Attorney General
Between 1986 and 1987, Samuel Alito authored nearly 470 pages of memoranda, in which he argued for expanding his client's law enforcement and personnel authorities, while serving as Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
1986: Thornburgh v. American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists
In 1986, in the case of Thornburgh v. American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, the Supreme Court ruled against Solicitor General Charles Fried, who had rejected a memo by Samuel Alito urging him to avoid directly attacking the constitutional right to an abortion.
1987: United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey
From 1987, Samuel Alito served as the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
1987: Death of Samuel A. Alito Sr.
In 1987, Samuel A. Alito Sr., father of Samuel Alito Jr., passed away.
1987: Publication of 'A Conflict of Visions' and 'The Closing of the American Mind'
In 1987, two books were published: 'A Conflict of Visions' and 'The Closing of the American Mind'.
1987: Deputy Assistant Attorney General
Until 1987, Samuel Alito served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General under Charles J. Cooper in the Office of Legal Counsel during Attorney General Edwin Meese's tenure. Between 1986 and 1987, Alito authored nearly 470 pages of memoranda, in which he argued for expanding his client's law enforcement and personnel authorities.
March 1988: Rehearing of Extradition Proceedings
In March 1988, Samuel Alito, as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, sought a rehearing of extradition proceedings against two Indian men accused of being terrorist assassins, after discovering that the death threats his prosecutor had received had been sent by herself.
August 1988: Acquittal in Mob Affiliates Trial
In August 1988, the two-year trial of 20 defendants accused of being mob affiliates of Anthony Accetturo, then the longest federal criminal trial in history, ended in the acquittal of all 20 after less than two days of jury deliberations, during Samuel Alito's tenure as United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
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 while serving as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
February 20, 1990: Nomination to U.S. Court of Appeals
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 U.S. Court of Appeals
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 Judge on U.S. Court of Appeals
In 1990, Samuel Alito was appointed as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He served in this position until he joined the Supreme Court.
1990: United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey
Until 1990, Samuel Alito served as the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
1995: Saint Thomas More Medal
In 1995, Alito received the school's Saint Thomas More Medal "in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of law".
1999: Adjunct professor at Seton Hall University School of Law
From 1999 to 2004, Alito was an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark, teaching courses in constitutional law and an original course on terrorism and civil liberties.
2001: Publication of 'The Death of the West'
In 2001, the book 'The Death of the West' was published.
2002: NSA targeted Alito's phones
In 2013, former National Security Agency analyst Russell Tice revealed that, during 2002 and 2003, the National Security Agency targeted Alito's phones, and those of his staff and his family, for surveillance.
2003: Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act
In 2003, Congress passed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, which led to a lawsuit in the case of Gonzales v. Carhart.
2003: NSA targeted Alito's phones
In 2013, former National Security Agency analyst Russell Tice revealed that, during 2002 and 2003, the National Security Agency targeted Alito's phones, and those of his staff and his family, for surveillance.
2004: Adjunct professor at Seton Hall University School of Law
From 1999 to 2004, Alito was an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark, teaching courses in constitutional law and an original course on terrorism and civil liberties.
July 1, 2005: Justice O'Connor Announces Retirement
On July 1, 2005, Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement from the Supreme Court, effective upon the confirmation of a successor.
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 Scalia
In 2005, Alito's views differed from those of Scalia (and Thomas), as in the Michael Taylor case and various other cases of the 2005 term. According to a SCOTUSblog analysis of 2005 term decisions, Alito and Scalia concurred in the result of 86% of decisions in which both participated, and concurred in full in 75%.
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 decision on the Supreme Court
On February 1, 2006, in his first decision on the Supreme Court, Alito voted with the majority (6–3) to refuse Missouri's request to vacate the stay of execution issued by the Eighth Circuit for death-row inmate Michael Taylor.
May 1, 2006: First Written Supreme Court Opinion
On May 1, 2006, Samuel Alito delivered his first written Supreme Court opinion in Holmes v. South Carolina, a case about the right of criminal defendants to present evidence that a third party committed the crime.
2006: Confirmation Hearing
Samuel Alito's confirmation hearing was held from January 9 to 13, 2006. Active and retired judges testified, and Alito answered around 700 questions during the hearing.
April 18, 2007: Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act ruling
On April 18, 2007, the Supreme Court handed down a decision ruling the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act constitutional. Kennedy wrote for the five-justice majority that Congress was within its power to generally ban the procedure.
May 25, 2007: Commencement address at Seton Hall Law
On May 25, 2007, Alito delivered the commencement address at Seton Hall Law's commencement ceremony and received an honorary law degree from the school.
2007: Morse v. Frederick decision
In 2007, Alito joined Roberts's majority decision in Morse v. Frederick that speech advocating drug use can be banned in public schools, but also warned that the ruling must be circumscribed so as not to interfere with political speech.
2008: Gomez-Perez v. Potter ruling
In 2008, Alito's majority opinion in the worker protection case Gomez-Perez v. Potter cleared the way for federal workers who experience retaliation after filing age discrimination complaints to sue for damages.
2008: Supreme Court Historical Society's Annual Lecture
In 2008, Samuel Alito delivered the Supreme Court Historical Society's Annual Lecture, titled "The Origin of the Baseball Antitrust Exemption".
2008: 2008 Financial Disclosure Report
On June 20, 2023, ProPublica published an investigation suggesting that he was obligated to disclose certain benefits as gifts on his 2008 Financial Disclosure Report.
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 School of Law
In fall 2011, Alito was a visiting professor at Duke University School of Law, where he taught Current Issues in Constitutional Interpretation.
2012: Visiting professor at Duke University School of Law
In summer 2012, Alito was a visiting professor at Duke University School of Law, teaching a course in the Master of Laws in Judicial Studies program.
2013: Death of Rose Fradusco
In 2013, Rose Fradusco, the mother of Samuel Alito Jr., passed away.
2013: NSA targeted Alito's phones
In 2013, former National Security Agency analyst Russell Tice revealed that, during 2002 and 2003, the National Security Agency targeted Alito's phones, and those of his staff and his family, for surveillance.
June 3, 2014: Lunch with Gayle Wright
On June 3, 2014, Alito and his wife had lunch with Gayle Wright, a conservative donor. Shortly after, Rob Schenck, an evangelical minister, claimed to have heard of the outcome of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby before it was officially announced, suggesting Wright may have revealed the information.
June 2014: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby decision
In June 2014, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, authored by Alito and favorable to anti-abortion conservatives. Allegations later surfaced that the outcome had been leaked prior to the official announcement.
2014: Majority Opinion in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby
In 2014, Alito wrote the majority opinion in the case of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, which concerned insurance coverage.
2016: Publication of 'Hillbilly Elegy'
In 2016, the book 'Hillbilly Elegy' was published.
2017: Publication of 'The Benedict Option'
In 2017, the book 'The Benedict Option' was published.
2018: Majority Opinion in Janus v. AFSCME
In 2018, Alito wrote the majority opinion in Janus v. AFSCME, which dealt with public-sector union security agreements.
2018: Publication of 'Why Liberalism Failed'
In 2018, the book 'Why Liberalism Failed' was published.
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.
November 12, 2020: Comments about the COVID-19 pandemic
On November 12, 2020, Alito made headlines for comments about the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking to the Federalist Society, Alito criticized what he called the "loss of individual liberties", saying, "We have never before seen restrictions as severe, extensive and prolonged as those experienced for most of 2020" and calling the pandemic "a Constitutional stress test".
2020: Embodiment of a conservative majority
According to The New Yorker, since the 2020 appointment of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Alito has become "the embodiment of a conservative majority that is ambitious and extreme", overruling progressive precedents from the 1960s and '70s that were previously out of conservatives' reach.
2020: Reactions to Alito's Actions
In 2020, reactions to Alito's actions were divided, with Democrats condemning and Republicans defending him. Dick Durbin requested Alito's recusal from cases involving the January 6 Capitol attack or the 2020 presidential election. Steve Cohen introduced a resolution to censure Alito. A letter requesting Alito's recusal was signed by forty-five representatives. Tom Cotton called the controversy an intimidation attempt, and Lindsey Graham criticized Alito's judgment.
2020: Stop the Steal movement
On January 17, 2021, an upside-down American flag was flown outside Alito's residence in Fairfax County, Virginia. The upside-down flag, traditionally a signal of distress, had been displayed a week earlier by supporters of President Donald Trump during the January 6 Capitol attack and by members of the Stop the Steal movement seeking to overturn the 2020 election results.
January 17, 2021: Upside-down American flag
On January 17, 2021, an upside-down American flag was flown outside Alito's residence in Fairfax County, Virginia.
February 2022: Circulation of draft opinion
In February 2022, Alito circulated a first draft of a majority opinion among the justices for the upcoming decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. The opinion would overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
May 2, 2022: Leak of draft opinion on Roe v. Wade
On May 2, 2022, Politico published a leak of a first draft of a majority opinion by Alito that circulated among the justices in February 2022 for the upcoming decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which would overturn Roe v. Wade.
June 24, 2022: Overturning of Roe v. Wade
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court handed down the ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade. Alito wrote that "Roe was egregiously wrong from the start".
July 2022: First public comments on Roe v. Wade ruling
In July 2022, Alito gave his first public comments on the Roe v. Wade ruling in a keynote address for Notre Dame Law School's Religious Liberty Initiative in Rome. He mocked several foreign leaders for criticizing the decision.
October 2022: Comments on assassination attempt and court integrity
During an October 2022 talk at The Heritage Foundation, Alito said that the leaked opinion made some justices "targets for assassination", referring to the assassination attempt on fellow Justice Brett Kavanaugh during that year. He also said that "questioning [the Court's] integrity crosses an important line".
November 2022: Revelation of alleged previous leak
In November 2022, it was revealed that Rob Schenck had written Roberts a letter about an alleged previous leak of a Supreme Court decision. Schenck claimed to have been informed of the outcome of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby weeks before the June 2014 decision was officially announced.
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 concerning abortion.
2022: Only military veteran on the Court
Since Stephen Breyer's retirement in 2022, Alito has been the only military veteran on the Court.
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.
June 20, 2023: ProPublica investigation
On June 20, 2023, ProPublica published an investigation of Alito's relationship with billionaire businessman Paul Singer, focusing on a trip Alito and Singer took to a luxury fishing resort in Alaska and suggesting Alito "violated a federal law that requires justices to disclose most gifts", such as private jet travel.
July 2023: Wall Street Journal opinion column
In a July 2023 Wall Street Journal opinion column, Alito wrote, "Congress did not create the Supreme Court [...] No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court—period."
2023: Most conservative Supreme Court justice
In 2023, Martin–Quinn scores suggested that Alito was the most conservative Supreme Court justice.
2023: Pine Tree Flag
In the summer of 2023, the Pine Tree Flag was flown at Alito's beach house on Long Beach Island in New Jersey. The flag displays, reported by The New York Times, caused controversy, including questions about judicial impartiality.
June 2024: Controversial secret recording
In June 2024, Alito drew controversy when a filmmaker posted a secret recording in which he could be heard agreeing with her assertion that Christians should win "the moral argument" against the Left and return the country to "a place of godliness".
June 2024: Martha-Ann Alito Discusses Pride Flag
In June 2024, Martha-Ann Alito was secretly recorded discussing the Pride flag and her intention to replace it with a Sacred Heart of Jesus flag and a flag with yellow and orange flames that read "vergogna". She also stated she would "get" the media due to her German heritage.
2024: One of Six Catholics on the Supreme Court
As of 2024, Samuel Alito is one of six Catholics serving on the Supreme Court.
2024: Acceptance of $900 tickets
In 2024, The Guardian and The New York Times reported that Alito accepted $900 tickets from Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis for a music festival at Saint Emmeram's Abbey.
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