http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court The country's highest judicial body, the Supreme Court of the United States was established in 1789 and consists of nine justices. en Copyright 2013, History.com Thu, 23 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT History.com 2013-05-23T04:00:00Z en Copyright 2013, History.com http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo1 Top row (left to right): Samuel A. Alito, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor. Bottom row (left to right): Anthony M. Kennedy, John Paul Stevens, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Antonin G. Scalia and Clarence Thomas. http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo1 http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo2 In 2005, George W. Bush nominated Roberts to replace Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who had announced her retirement. Before the confirmation hearings took place, Chief Justice William Rehnquist died, and Bush renominated Roberts to fill his seat. http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo2 http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo3 Scalia was nominated by President Ronald Reagan and took office in 1986. He became the first Italian American to serve on the Supreme Court. http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo3 http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo4 Nominated by President Ronald Reagan, Kennedy assumed office in 1988. http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo4 http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo5 The second African American to serve on the court, Thomas was nominated by President George H. W. Bush and took office in 1991. http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo5 http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo6 Ginsburg was nominated by President Bill Clinton and took office in 1993, becoming the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court after Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo6 http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo7 Nominated by President Bill Clinton, Breyer joined the Supreme Court in 1994. He remained the court's most junior member until Justice Samuel Alito's appointment in 2006. http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo7 http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo8 President George W. Bush nominated Alito as Sandra Day O'Connor's replacement. He took his seat in 2006. http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo8 http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo9 Nominated by President Barack Obama in 2009, Sotomayor became the Supreme Court's first Hispanic justice and its third female justice. http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo9 http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo10 Nominated by President Barack Obama in 2010, Kagan was confirmed by the Senate on August 5, 2010, by a vote of 63-37. She has also served as the U.S. solicitor general and as the dean of Harvard Law School. http://www.history.com/photos/supreme-court/photo10