List of Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada by time in office

This is a list of Canadian Supreme Court Justices by time in office. This is based on the difference between dates; if counted by number of calendar days all the figures would be greater by the number of distinct periods of service (1 for most). The tenures of incumbents are accurate as of .

Rank by length of term	C.J.C. Chief Justice of Canada The Chief Justice of Canada, like the eight puisne Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, is appointed by the Governor-in-Council . All nine are chosen from either sitting judges or barristers who have at least ten years' standing at the bar of a province or territory...	Lyman Poore Duff Lyman Poore Duff Sir Lyman Poore Duff, GCMG, PC, QC was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and briefly served as Acting Governor General of Canada in 1931 and 1940....	13,617	3,949	September 27, 1906 –January 7, 1944 March 17, 1933 –January 7, 1944
2	Thibaudeau Rinfret Thibaudeau Rinfret Thibaudeau Rinfret, PC was a Canadian jurist and Chief Justice of Canada and acting Governor General of Canada in 1952.-Personal life:...	10,857	3,819	October 1, 1924 – June 22, 1954 January 8, 1944 – June 22, 1954
3	Henri-Elzéar Taschereau	10,069	1,259	October 7, 1878 – November 21, 1902 November 21, 1902 – May 2, 1906
4	Robert Taschereau Robert Taschereau Robert Taschereau, CC, PC was a lawyer who became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and who briefly served as acting Governor General of Canada following the death of Georges Vanier in 1967.-Biography:...	10,067	1,549	February 9, 1940 – September 1, 1967 April 22, 1963 – September 1, 1967
5	Patrick Kerwin Patrick Kerwin Patrick Kerwin, PC , was a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Kerwin was born in Sarnia, Ontario to Patrick Kerwin and Ellen Gavin. After graduating from the Sarnia Collegiate Institute at the age of 16, he enrolled at Osgoode Hall Law School in 1906. He articled in Sarnia with R. V...	10,060	3,139	July 20, 1935 – February 2, 1963 July 1, 1954 – February 2, 1963
6	Samuel Henry Strong Samuel Henry Strong Sir Samuel Henry Strong, PC, QC was a jurist and Chief Justice of Canada.Strong was born in Poole, England to Samuel Spratt Strong and Jane Elizabeth Goose. He emigrated to Upper Canada with his family in 1836 settling in Bytown . He studied law in the office of local Ottawa lawyer Augustus Keefer...	9,911	3,627	September 30, 1875 – December 13, 1892 December 13, 1892 – November 18, 1902
7	Roland Almon Ritchie	9,312	—	May 5, 1959 - October 31, 1984
8	Ronald Martland Ronald Martland Ronald Martland, CC, QC, AOE was a Canadian Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Liverpool, England, he was the second Albertan ever to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada. Justice Martland attended the University of Alberta and obtained a B.A. in 1926 and an LL.B in 1928...	8,793	—	January 15, 1958 - February 10, 1982
9	Francis Alexander Anglin Francis Alexander Anglin Francis Alexander Anglin PC was Chief Justice of Canada from 1924 until 1933.Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, one of 9 children of Parliamentarian Timothy Anglin, and elder brother to the renowned stage actress, Margaret Anglin, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of...	8,772	3,088	February 23, 1909 – February 28, 1933 September 16, 1924 – February 28, 1933
10	Joseph Honoré Gérald Fauteux	8,768	1,372	December 22, 1949 – December 23, 1973 March 23, 1970 – December 23, 1973
11	John Wellington Gwynne John Wellington Gwynne John Wellington Gwynne, was a Canadian lawyer and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Castleknock, Ireland, the son of William Gwynne and Eliza Nelson, he emigrated to Canada in 1832....	8,394	—	January 14, 1879 – January 7, 1902
12	Beverley McLachlin Beverley McLachlin Beverley McLachlin, PC is the Chief Justice of Canada, the first woman to hold this position. She also serves as a Deputy of the Governor General of Canada.-Early life:...			March 30, 1989 – present January 7, 2000 – present
13	Louis Henry Davies Louis Henry Davies Sir Louis Henry Davies, was a Prince Edward Island lawyer, businessman and politician, the third Premier...	8,255	1,987	September 25, 1901 - May 1, 1924 November 23, 1918 – May 1, 1924
14	John Idington John Idington John Idington, QC, LL.B was a Canadian justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Puslinch, Upper Canada , the son of Peter Idington and Catherine Stewart, he received his LL.B degree from the University of Toronto and was called to the Ontario Bar both in 1864...	8,085	—	February 10, 1905 - March 31, 1927
15	John Robert Cartwright John Robert Cartwright John Robert Cartwright, was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Toronto, Cartwright was the son of James Strachan Cartwright and Jane Elizabeth Young...	7,397	935	December 22, 1949 – March 23, 1970 September 1, 1967 – March 23, 1970
16	Telesphore Fournier Télesphore Fournier Télesphore Fournier, PC was a Canadian politician and jurist.Born in Saint-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, Lower Canada , the son of Guillaume Fournier and Marie-Archange Morin, he was called to the bar in 1846...	7,288	—	September 30, 1875 – September 12, 1895
17	Antonio Lamer Antonio Lamer Joseph Antonio Charles Lamer, PC, CC, CD was a Canadian lawyer, jurist and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.-Personal life:...	7,224	3,477	March 28, 1980 – January 6, 2000 July 1, 1990 – January 6, 2000
18	Douglas Charles Abbott	7,116	—	July 1, 1954 - December 23, 1973
19	Wilfred Judson Wilfred Judson Wilfred Judson, was a Canadian lawyer and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Todmorden, England, he received a BA in 1922 and an MA in 1923 from the University of Manchester. In 1923 he emigrated to Canada and graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the bar in...	7,106	—	February 5, 1958 - July 20, 1977
20	Brian Dickson Brian Dickson Robert George Brian Dickson, , commonly known as Brian Dickson, was appointed Chief Justice of Canada on April 18, 1984. He retired on June 30, 1990 and died October 17, 1998.-Career:...	6,306	2,265	March 26, 1973 – June 30, 1990 April 18, 1984 – June 30, 1990
21	William Johnstone Ritchie William Johnstone Ritchie Sir William Johnstone Ritchie was one of the first judges appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada and became the second Chief Justice of the court....	6,206	5,007	September 30, 1875 – January 11, 1879 January 11, 1879 – September 25, 1892
22	Ivan Cleveland Rand	5,850	—	April 22, 1943 - April 27, 1959
23	Wishart Flett Spence	5,693	—	May 30, 1963 - December 29, 1978
24	Désiré Girouard Désiré Girouard Désiré Girouard was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Saint-Timothée, Lower Canada , the son of Jérémie Girouard and Hyppolite Picard, he received his Bachelor of Common Law from McGill University in 1860...	5,654	—	September 28, 1895 – March 22, 1911
25	Charles Holland Locke	5,585	—	June 3, 1947 - September 16, 1962
26	Claire L'Heureux-Dubé Claire L'Heureux-Dubé Claire L'Heureux-Dubé, served as a justice on the Supreme Court of Canada from 1987 to 2002. She was the first woman from Quebec and the second woman appointed to this position.- Personal history :...	5,557	—	April 15, 1987 - July 1, 2002
27	Jean Beetz Jean Beetz Jean-Marie Philémon Joseph Beetz, was a Canadian jurist and puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada....	5,428	—	January 1, 1974 - November 10, 1988
28	Charles Gonthier Charles Gonthier Charles Doherty Gonthier, was a Puisne judge on the Supreme Court of Canada from February 1, 1989 to August 1, 2003. He was replaced by Morris Fish.-Early life:...	5,295	—	February 1, 1989 - August 1, 2003
29	Bora Laskin Bora Laskin Bora Laskin, PC, CC, FRSC was a Canadian jurist, who served on the Supreme Court of Canada for fourteen years, including a decade as its Chief Justice.-Early life:...	5,122	3,743	March 19, 1970 – March 26, 1984 December 27, 1973 – March 26, 1984
30	Ian Binnie Ian Binnie William Ian Corneil Binnie was a puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, serving from 1998 to 2011. Of the justices appointed to the Supreme Court in recent years, he is one of the few to have never sat as a judge prior to his appointment.- Personal life and career as lawyer :Binnie was...		—	January 8, 1998 - present
31	Frank Iacobucci Frank Iacobucci Frank Iacobucci, CC was a Puisne Justice on the Supreme Court of Canada from 1991 to 2004 when he retired from the bench. He is an expert in business and tax law.-Early career:...	4,924	—	January 7, 1991 - June 30, 2004
32	Robert Sedgewick Robert Sedgewick Robert Sedgewick may refer to:Robert Sedgewick , computer scientist and authorRobert Sedgewick , Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada-Others:*Robert Sedgwick , American colonist...	4,915	—	February 18, 1893 – August 4, 1906
33	Roy Lindsay Kellock	4,853	—	October 3, 1944 - January 15, 1958
34	John C. Major John C. Major John Charles "Jack" Major, CC, QC is a Canadian jurist and was a puisne justice on the Supreme Court of Canada from 1992 to 2005....	4,791	—	November 13, 1992 - December 25, 2005
35	Gérard La Forest Gérard La Forest Gérard Vincent La Forest, CC, QC, FRSC, LL.D was a Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada from January 16, 1985 to September 30, 1997....	4,641	—	January 16, 1985 - September 30, 1997
36	William Alexander Henry William Alexander Henry William Alexander Henry was a Canadian lawyer, politician, judge and one of the Fathers of Confederation....	4,600	—	September 30, 1875 – May 3, 1888
37	Charles Fitzpatrick Charles Fitzpatrick Sir Charles Fitzpatrick, PC, GCMG was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was born in Quebec City, Canada East, to John Fitzpatrick and Mary Connolly....	4,554	4,554	June 4, 1906 – November 21, 1918 June 4, 1906 – November 21, 1918
38	Louis-Philippe Pigeon Louis-Philippe Pigeon Louis-Philippe Pigeon, CC was a judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born Henryville, Quebec in 1905, the son of Arthur Pigeon and Maria Demers, he studied at Université Laval and obtained an LL.L in 1928...	4,524	—	September 21, 1967 - February 8, 1980
39	Louis-Philippe Brodeur Louis-Philippe Brodeur Louis-Philippe Brodeur, PC, QC baptised Louis-Joseph-Alexandre Brodeur was a Canadian parliamentarian and public servant....	4,444	—	August 11, 1911 - October 10, 1923
40	Louis LeBel Louis LeBel Louis LeBel is a puisne justice on the Supreme Court of Canada.LeBel was born in Quebec City. He was the son of lawyer Paul LeBel, Q.C. He went to school at the Collège des Jésuites, graduating with a BA in 1958 from College des Jesuites. He earned his law degree at Université Laval in 1962 and...		—	January 7, 2000 - present
41	James Wilfred Estey James Wilfred Estey James Wilfred Estey was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and jurist.Born in Keswick Ridge, New Brunswick, the son of Byron Leslie Estey and Sarah Ann Kee, he received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Brunswick in 1910. In 1915, he received a Bachelor of Law from Harvard University in...	4,126	—	October 6, 1944 - January 22, 1956
42	Pierre-Basile Mignault Pierre-Basile Mignault Pierre-Basile Mignault was a Canadian lawyer and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Pierre-Basile Mignault and Catherine O'Callaghan, he received a Bachelor of Civil Law dgree from McGill University in 1878. He was called to the Quebec Bar in...	3,994	—	October 25, 1918 - September 30, 1929
43	Albert Blellock Hudson	3,941	—	March 24, 1936 - January 6, 1947
44	Michel Bastarache Michel Bastarache J. E. Michel Bastarache is a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and retired puisne justice on the Supreme Court of Canada....	3,926	—	September 30, 1997 - June 30, 2008
45	Willard Zebedee Estey	3,859	—	September 29, 1977 - April 22, 1988
46	Oswald Smith Crocket Oswald Smith Crocket Oswald Smith Crocket was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada....	3,857	—	September 21, 1932 - April 13, 1943
47	Peter Cory	3,773	—	February 1, 1989 - June 1, 1999
48	Emmett Matthew Hall Emmett Matthew Hall Emmett Matthew Hall, CC, QC was a Canadian jurist and civil libertarian and is considered one of the fathers of the Canadian system of Medicare....	3,752	—	November 23, 1962 - March 1, 1973
49	William Rogers McIntyre	3,699	—	January 1, 1979 - February 15, 1989
50	Lawrence Arthur Dumoulin Cannon Lawrence Arthur Dumoulin Cannon Lawrence Arthur Dumoulin Cannon was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada....	3,633	—	January 14, 1930 - December 25, 1939
51	John Sopinka John Sopinka John Sopinka, QC was a Canadian lawyer and puisne justice on the Supreme Court of Canada, the first Ukrainian-Canadian appointed to the high court....	3,472	—	May 24, 1988 - November 24, 1997
52	Henry Hague Davis Henry Hague Davis Henry Hague Davis was a Canadian lawyer and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Brockville, Ontario, the son of William Henry Davis and Eliza Dowsley, he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1907, a Master of Arts in 1909 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1911 all from the University of Toronto...	3,439	—	January 31, 1935 - June 30, 1944
53	Marie Deschamps Marie Deschamps Marie Deschamps is a puisne justice on the Supreme Court of Canada.-Education:She studied law at the Université de Montréal, graduating in 1974 and completing a Masters in 1983 at McGill.-Career:...		—	August 7, 2002 - present
54	John Henderson Lamont John Henderson Lamont John Henderson Lamont was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada....	3,266	—	April 2, 1927 - March 10, 1936
55	Bertha Wilson Bertha Wilson Bertha Wernham Wilson, CC was a Canadian jurist and the first woman Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.-Early life:...	3,229	—	March 4, 1982 - January 4, 1991
56	Morris Fish Morris Fish Morris J. Fish, is a judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Aaron S. Fish and Zlata Grober, he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1959 and a Bachelor of Law in 1962 from McGill University.He practiced law mostly in Quebec for the law firm Cohen, Leithman, Kaufman,...		—	August 5, 2003 - present
57	George E. King George E. King George Edwin King was a New Brunswick lawyer, politician, jurist, and the second and fourth Premier of New Brunswick in the Canadian Confederation....	2,786	—	September 21, 1893 – May 8, 1901
58	Julien Chouinard Julien Chouinard Julien Chouinard, was a Canadian lawyer, civil servant and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada....	2,693	—	September 24, 1979 - February 6, 1987
59	Edmund Leslie Newcombe Edmund Leslie Newcombe Edmund Leslie Newcombe, was a Canadian lawyer, civil servant, and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada....	2,641	—	September 16, 1924 - December 9, 1931
60	Rosalie Abella Rosalie Abella Rosalie Silberman Abella, is a Canadian jurist. She was appointed in 2004 to the Supreme Court of Canada, becoming the first Jewish woman to sit on the Canadian Supreme Court bench.- Early life :...		—	October 4, 2004 - present
61	Louise Charron Louise Charron Louise Charron is a Canadian jurist. She was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada in October, 2004, and is the first native-born Franco-Ontarian Supreme Court judge...	2,521	—	October 4, 2004 - August 30, 2011
62	Robert Smith	2,396	—	May 18, 1927 - December 7, 1933
63	Marshall Rothstein Marshall Rothstein Marshall Rothstein, QC, B.Comm, LLB is a Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.-Early life:Born in Winnipeg to Jewish parents who immigrated from Eastern Europe, he received a Bachelor of Commerce in 1962 and an LL.B. in 1966 from the University of Manitoba...		—	March 1, 2006 - present
64	Louise Arbour Louise Arbour Louise Arbour, is the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and the Court of Appeal for Ontario and a former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda...	1,751	—	September 15, 1999 - June 30, 2004
65	Christopher Salmon Patterson Christopher Salmon Patterson Christopher Salmon Patterson was a Canadian Puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in London, England, the son of John and Ann Patterson, he studied at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution in Ireland. In 1845, he emigrated to Picton, Canada West , Canada...	1,732	—	October 27, 1888 – July 24, 1893
66	Gerald Le Dain Gerald Le Dain Gerald Eric Le Dain, CC was a Canadian lawyer and judge, who sat on the Supreme Court of Canada from 1984 to 1988....	1,647	—	May 29, 1984 - November 30, 1988
67	Louis-Philippe de Grandpré Louis-Philippe de Grandpré Louis-Philippe de Grandpré, was a Canadian lawyer and Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Montreal, Quebec to Roland de Grandpré and Aline Magnan, he studied at McGill University and received a BCL in 1938...	1,370	—	January 1, 1974 - October 1, 1977
68	James Maclennan James Maclennan James Maclennan was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and Puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in the township of Lancaster, Upper Canada , the son of Roderick Maclennan and Mary Macpherson, he received a Bachelor of Arts from Queen's University in 1849. He studied to be a lawyer and was...	1,228	—	October 5, 1905 - February 13, 1909
69	William Buell Richards William Buell Richards Sir William Buell Richards, PC, Kt was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Richards was born in Brockville, Upper Canada to Stephen Richards and Phoebe Buell. He earned law degree at the St. Lawrence Academy in Potsdam, New York and then articled with his uncle Andrew Norton...	1,199	1,199	September 30, 1875 – January 10, 1879
70	Jean-Thomas Taschereau Jean-Thomas Taschereau Jean-Thomas Taschereau may refer to:* Jean-Thomas Taschereau , Canadian politician and judge* Jean-Thomas Taschereau , Canadian jurist, his son...	1,103	—	September 30, 1875 – October 6, 1878
71	Thomas Cromwell Thomas Cromwell (Canadian jurist) Thomas Albert Cromwell is a Canadian jurist and current Puisne Justice on the Supreme Court of Canada. On September 5, 2008, Cromwell was nominated to succeed Michel Bastarache on the Supreme Court of Canada by Prime Minister Stephen Harper...		—	December 22, 2008 - present
72	Wallace Nesbitt Wallace Nesbitt Wallace Nesbitt, was a Canadian lawyer and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Woodstock, Canada West , the son of John W. Nesbitt and Mary Wallace, he was called to the Ontario Bar in 1881. A practicing lawyer, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1903...	873	—	May 16, 1903 - October 4, 1905
73	Frank Joseph Hughes Frank Joseph Hughes Frank Joseph Hughes was a Canadian lawyer and puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Peel County, Ontario, the son of James Hughes and Winnifred Mullarkey, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University in 1907 and studied at Osgoode Hall Law School. In 1911, he was...	699	—	March 17, 1933 - February 13, 1935
74	Yves Pratte Yves Pratte Yves Pratte was a Canadian lawyer and jurist who served briefly as a Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada....	638	—	October 1, 1977 - June 30, 1979
75	William Stevenson William Stevenson William Stevenson may refer to:* Sir William Stevenson , English poet* Sir William Stevenson , Governor of Mauritius* William Ford Stevenson , Fellow of the Royal Society* William E...	628	—	September 17, 1990 - June 5, 1992
76	Albert Clements Killam Albert Clements Killam Albert Clements Killam, QC was a Canadian lawyer, politician, judge, railway commissioner, and Puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Canada...	549	—	August 8, 1903 - February 6, 1905
77	Henry Grattan Nolan Henry Grattan Nolan Henry Grattan Nolan, was a Canadian lawyer and jurist.Born in Calgary, Alberta, the son of Patrick James "Paddy" Nolan, a criminal defence lawyer, and Mary Elizabeth Lee, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta in 1914 and was awarded a Rhodes scholarship for Alberta...	495	—	March 1, 1956 - July 8, 1957
78	David Mills David Mills (Canadian politician) David Mills, PC was a Canadian politician, author, poet and jurist.He was born in Palmyra, in southwestern Ontario. His father, Nathaniel Mills, was one of the first settlers in the area. Mills served as superintendent of schools for Kent County from 1856 to 1865...	455	—	February 8, 1902 - May 8, 1903
79	Arthur Cyrille Albert Malouin Arthur Cyrille Albert Malouin Arthur Cyrille Albert Malouin was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada....	246	—	January 30, 1924 - October 1, 1924
80	John Douglas Armour John Douglas Armour John Douglas Armour was a Canadian Puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in the township of Otonabee, Upper Canada , the son of Samuel Armour, he was educated at Upper Canada College, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1850 from the University of Toronto...	233	—	November 21, 1902 - July 11, 1903

See also