How many Chief Justices of the United States have there been? The answer is 17.
Since the Supreme Court was established in 1789, 17 people have served as Chief Justice of the United States. John Jay was the first, appointed by President George Washington, and John Roberts became the 17th in 2005. The count refers to individual people, not the number of times the office has changed hands or the number of nominations made.
The office is constitutionally referenced in Article I, which assigns the Chief Justice to preside over a presidential impeachment trial. Congress formally created the position through the Judiciary Act of 1789. Chief Justices serve during good behavior, generally meaning life tenure unless they resign, retire, die, or are removed through impeachment and conviction.
The list includes several unusual transitions. Five Chief Justices previously served as associate justices: John Rutledge, Edward Douglass White, Charles Evans Hughes, Harlan Fiske Stone, and William Rehnquist. William Howard Taft is another standout: he became the only person to serve both as U.S. president and Chief Justice. John Rutledge’s brief 1795 service is also counted, despite the Senate rejecting his nomination.