Justice Clarence Thomas has surpassed Justice Hugo Black to become the fifth-longest-serving justice in U.S. Supreme Court history.
Thomas, who was appointed by President George H.W. Bush and confirmed in 1991, reached 12,448 days on the bench on November 21, 2025, edging past Black’s 12,447 days. Thomas now trails only William O. Douglas, Stephen Johnson Field, John Paul Stevens, and Chief Justice John Marshall in tenure.
At 77, Thomas has become the Court’s most senior member and longest-serving current justice.
His tenure has included periods of both silence and pronounced influence, with his opinions shaping debates over gun rights, affirmative action, and administrative law.
Thomas has previously marked other longevity milestones. In June, he tied Justice Joseph Story as the ninth-longest-serving justice at 12,273 days, with reports noting he could become the longest-serving justice by August 2028 if he remains on the bench.
Thomas’s extended service comes amid increasing attention to health and retirement among justices. Fellow septuagenarian Justice Sonia Sotomayor has faced health issues, and speculation occasionally swirls over potential retirements.
Thomas has not indicated any intention to step down.
The surpassing of Hugo Black is significant. Black, a native of Harlan, Alabama, served from 1937 to 1971, a tenure that spanned 34 years, 29 days. Black’s early career included law practice and public service, including a term as U.S. Senator, before his Supreme Court appointment by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Chief Justice John Marshall, who served from 1801 to 1835, remains one of the longest-tenured justices with 34 years and 152 days. Marshall’s leadership more firmly established the Supreme Court as a coequal branch of government and defined judicial review through landmark decisions such as Marbury v. Madison.
Thomas’s addition to the top 5 longest-serving justices underscores Southerners’ sizable influence on the Court. Thomas is from Georgia, and Marshall was from Virginia. Stephens and Douglas were from the Great Lakes region, while Field was born in Connecticut.
Thomas’s approach to jurisprudence has evolved over the course of his tenure. At one time, he was known for years of silence during oral arguments, but he has become increasingly vocal in recent years, authoring opinions and dissents that have set the stage for long-term shifts in constitutional interpretation.
To surpass Marshall, Thomas will need to remain on the nation’s highest Court for 122 more days.