Justice Amy Coney Barrett
Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
Amy Vivian Coney Barrett was born in January 1972 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She earned an undergraduate degree in English literature and French from Rhodes College, and received her Juris Doctor from the Notre Dame Law School. She spent two years as a law clerk, first at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and then for Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court. She entered the private practice of law.
She was a visiting associate professor at George Washington University Law School and a professor at Notre Dame Law School. Later she was a visiting professor at the University of Virginia School of Law. She was appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.
She was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, a position she held for three years. President Trump later appointed her to serve as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. She was confirmed by the Senate and took her seat on the high court bench in October 2020.
She is married to Jesse Barrett and they have seven children. The family is Catholic.
In the News…
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett spoke to a crowd at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. She repeatedly affirmed the need for civility and respect for the rule of law in order to maintain the republic, saying she is a “passionate defender of the First Amendment.”
“One way to foster free speech is to foster civil discourse in which people are able to express their views in a way that is not threatening or hostile to the other side,” she said.
“The court truly is very collegial,” Justice Barrett said. “I have been honored to be a part of the institution. I have been really grateful for the tremendous collegiality and respect that members of the court show for one another. I think Americans would all be better off if we all showed that level of respect, even for those with whom we disagree.”
The justice also said she hoped her life would inspire others to take studying law and civic education seriously. She stated, “Lawyers have a real opportunity to show how one can disagree and debate with another person without having it devolve into being ugly.”
“We, as a country, have to maintain respect for the rule of law and not become cynical and think that there is nothing to the rule of law,” she said.
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Justice Barrett today? You can let her know at:
The Honorable Justice Amy Coney Barrett
Supreme Court of the United States
1 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20543
