Clarence Thomas is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since 1991. He is the second African American to serve on the Supreme Court, following Thurgood Marshall. Thomas was born in Pin Point, Georgia in 1948. He was the second of three children born to M.C. Thomas, a farm worker, and Leola Williams, a domestic worker.
Thomas grew up in poverty, living in a small, two-room house with no indoor plumbing. Despite these challenges, he excelled academically and was a standout athlete in high school. He attended Holy Cross College on a full scholarship, where he earned a bachelor's degree in English. He then attended Yale Law School, where he earned his law degree in 1974.
After law school, Thomas worked in private practice for a short time before becoming an Assistant Attorney General in Missouri. In 1979, he was appointed as an Assistant Secretary of Education in the Reagan administration. In 1982, he was nominated by President Reagan to serve as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
In 1991, President George H. W. Bush nominated Thomas to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the retirement of Justice Thurgood Marshall. His confirmation hearings were highly controversial and featured testimony from Anita Hill, a former employee of Thomas, who accused him of sexual harassment. Despite the controversy, Thomas was ultimately confirmed by a vote of 52-48 in the Senate.
Since joining the Supreme Court, Thomas has been a consistently conservative voice, often siding with the Court's other conservative justices on issues such as abortion, affirmative action, and gun control. He is known for his strict interpretation of the Constitution and his skepticism of federal regulation.
In addition to his work on the Supreme Court, Thomas is also known for his efforts to promote education and mentorship for disadvantaged youth. He has spoken publicly about his own experiences growing up in poverty and has made it a priority to reach out to young people in underserved communities.
Overall, Clarence Thomas is a highly influential figure in American law and politics. His unique background and conservative judicial philosophy have made him a controversial figure, but his dedication to public service and education have also earned him the respect of many.
The Supreme Court: Justice Clarence Thomas
Opinions written by year, Clarence Thomas 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Opinions 7 7 7 9 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 8 5 7 7 Concurrences 2 8 6 6 12 8 11 7 11 8 15 16 14 14 11 7 Dissents 7 9 8 3 4 5 6 1 19 17 9 8 6 12 5 8 Totals 18 24 22 21 25 21 25 15 37 32 31 31 28 31 23 22 Opinions written by year, Clarence Thomas 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Opinions 0 11 9 8 8 8 9 10 7 8 9 8 9 9 8 Concurrences 0 8 7 4 7 5 4 2 7 8 8 7 5 9 7 Dissents 0 6 6 8 8 6 2 5 10 6 4 7 11 9 12 Splits 0 0 3 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 2 3 3 2 2 Totals 0 25 25 21 24 22 17 18 25 21 23 25 28 29 29 Justice agreement In the 2021 term, Thomas had the highest agreement rate with The table below highlights Thomas' agreement rate with each justice on the court during that term. I wouldn't do that. Other cases may be included in this section if they set or overturn an established legal precedent, are a major point of discussion in an election campaign, receive substantial media attention related to the justice's ruling, or based on our editorial judgment that the case is noteworthy. Based on his unwavering commitment to his originalist jurisprudence, he has demonstrated his willingness to take unpopular positions over and over again. Retrieved October 8, 2015. Martin-Quinn scores were developed by political scientists Andrew Martin and Kevin Quinn from the University of Michigan, and measure the justices of the Supreme Court along an ideological continuum. Retrieved June 20, 2010.
Thomas Rex Lee
In his first job, he worked as an assistant in the office of attorney general of the state of Missouri from 1974 to 1977 Clarence Thomas: Biographical Data par. See also: The noteworthy cases listed in this section include any case where the justice authored a 5-4 majority opinion or an 8-1 dissent. Thomas and his first wife separated in 1981 and divorced in 1984. Retrieved April 29, 2015. It's a national disgrace. We should not forget that Thurgood Marshall, Justice Thomas's predecessor on the Supreme Court, and the first African-American appointed, was also sharply criticized during his appointment process and in his early days on the Court. As a result, at the age of seven he and his younger brother were sent to live with their grandfather, Myers Anderson, and his wife in Savannah, Georgia.