Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States
Encyclopedia
The Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States is the officer of the Supreme Court of the United States
responsible for overseeing filings with the Court and maintaining its records. The current Clerk is William Suter
, who has served since 1991.
on September 24, 1789, with the position's purpose being to "enter and record all the orders, decrees, judgments and proceedings of the said court."
The Judicial Code (28 U.S.C. § 671) provides that the Clerk is appointed, and may be removed, by order of the Supreme Court. The Clerk's duties are prescribed by the statute and by Supreme Court Rule 1, and by the Court's customs and practices.
The Clerk of the Supreme Court is a court clerk
. The role of the clerk and deputies or assistants should not be confused with the Court's law clerk
s, who assist the Justices by conducting research, making recommendations on which cases to hear, and preparing drafts of opinions.
The Clerk's Office is responsible for maintaining the dockets and records of the Court. However, since approximately 1960, most of the Court's non-current case files and other records have been placed in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration
.
The Clerk is one of the Court's four statutory officers. The others are the Marshal
, the Librarian
, and the Reporter of Decisions
.
Traditionally, the Clerk and deputies wear morning coats when performing their duties as the court is in session.
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
responsible for overseeing filings with the Court and maintaining its records. The current Clerk is William Suter
William Suter
William K. Suter is the 19th and current Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States, a position he has held since 1991. The clerk's responsibilities include managing the Supreme Court's docket and calendar and overseeing the Supreme Court Bar. The clerk also attends all oral arguments at the...
, who has served since 1991.
History
The first Clerk was appointed on February 3, 1790, two days after the first of the court itself. The position had been authorized by CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
on September 24, 1789, with the position's purpose being to "enter and record all the orders, decrees, judgments and proceedings of the said court."
The Judicial Code (28 U.S.C. § 671) provides that the Clerk is appointed, and may be removed, by order of the Supreme Court. The Clerk's duties are prescribed by the statute and by Supreme Court Rule 1, and by the Court's customs and practices.
The Clerk of the Supreme Court is a court clerk
Court clerk
A court clerk is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining the records of a court. Another duty is to administer oaths to witnesses, jurors, and grand jurors...
. The role of the clerk and deputies or assistants should not be confused with the Court's law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
s, who assist the Justices by conducting research, making recommendations on which cases to hear, and preparing drafts of opinions.
The Clerk's Office is responsible for maintaining the dockets and records of the Court. However, since approximately 1960, most of the Court's non-current case files and other records have been placed in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
.
The Clerk is one of the Court's four statutory officers. The others are the Marshal
Marshal of the United States Supreme Court
The Marshal of the United States Supreme Court is the person, similar to a bailiff, who attends the Supreme Court of the United States.-Legal basis:In accordance with Title 28 United States Code Part III Chapter 45 § 672:...
, the Librarian
Law library
A law library is a library designed to assist law students, attorneys, judges, and their law clerks and anyone else who finds it necessary to correctly determine the state of the law....
, and the Reporter of Decisions
Supreme Court of the United States Reporter of Decisions
The Reporter of Decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States is the official charged with editing and publishing the Court's opinions both when announced and when they are published in permanent bound volumes of the United States Reports. The Reporter of Decisions is responsible for only...
.
Traditionally, the Clerk and deputies wear morning coats when performing their duties as the court is in session.
List of Clerks
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Harold B. Willey Harold B. Willey, an American lawyer, was the Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1952 to 1956.Willey spent much of his professional career working for the Supreme Court, where he served for 32 years. He began his tenure as an Assistant Clerk in 1924, and then served as Deputy... (1952-1956) John T. Fey John T. Fey served as Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1956 to 1958, during the Chief Justiceship of Earl Warren.Before coming to the Supreme Court, Fey was a professor of tax law and the dean of the George Washington University Law School. After a relatively short tenure as... (1956-1958) John F. Davis John F. Davis was an American lawyer and law professor whose career included ten years of service as Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States.-Early life:... (1961-1970) Michael Rodak, Jr. Michael Rodak, Jr. was the Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1972 to 1981.Rodak graduated from the College of Steubenville and obtained his law degrees from Georgetown Law School. He began work at the Supreme Court as an assistant clerk in 1956 and was promoted to Clerk in... (1972-1981) William Suter William K. Suter is the 19th and current Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States, a position he has held since 1991. The clerk's responsibilities include managing the Supreme Court's docket and calendar and overseeing the Supreme Court Bar. The clerk also attends all oral arguments at the... (1991- ) |