United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary

The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, informally known as the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of 22 U . senators whose role is to oversee the Department of Justice (DOJ), consider executive and judicial nominations, and review pending legislation. In addition, the Standing Rules of the Senate confer jurisdiction to the Senate Judiciary Committee in certain areas, such as considering proposed constitutional amendments and legislation related to federal criminal law, human rights law, immigration, intellectual property, antitrust law, and internet privacy.

Infobox

Formed

December 10, 1816

Chair

Chuck Grassley (R) Since January 3, 2025

Ranking Member

Dick Durbin (D) Since January 3, 2025

Seats

22 members

Political parties

Majority (12) Republican (12) Minority (10) Democratic (10)

Policy areas

Federal judiciary, civil procedure, criminal procedure, civil liberties, copyrights, patents, trademarks, naturalization, constitutional amendments, congressional apportionment, state and territorial boundary lines

Oversight authority

Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, federal judicial nominations

House counterpart

House Committee on the Judiciary

Tables

· Members, 119th Congress

Chuck Grassley, Iowa, Chair Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Cornyn, Texas Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas Josh Hawley, Missouri Thom Tillis, North Carolina John Kennedy, Louisiana Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Eric Schmitt, Missouri Katie Britt, Alabama Ashley Moody, Florida (from January 24, 2025)

Majority

Minority

Dick Durbin, Illinois, Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Chris Coons, Delaware Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Cory Booker, New Jersey Alex Padilla, California Peter Welch, Vermont Adam Schiff, California

Majority	Minority
Chuck Grassley, Iowa, Chair Lindsey Graham, South Carolina John Cornyn, Texas Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas Josh Hawley, Missouri Thom Tillis, North Carolina John Kennedy, Louisiana Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Eric Schmitt, Missouri Katie Britt, Alabama Ashley Moody, Florida (from January 24, 2025)	Dick Durbin, Illinois, Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Chris Coons, Delaware Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Cory Booker, New Jersey Alex Padilla, California Peter Welch, Vermont Adam Schiff, California

· Subcommittees

Cory Booker (D-NJ)

Subcommittee

Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights

Chair

Mike Lee (R-UT)

Ranking Member

Cory Booker (D-NJ)

Alex Padilla (D-CA)

Subcommittee

Border Security and Immigration

Chair

John Cornyn (R-TX)

Ranking Member

Alex Padilla (D-CA)

Peter Welch (D-VT)

Subcommittee

The Constitution

Chair

Eric Schmitt (R-MO)

Ranking Member

Peter Welch (D-VT)

Dick Durbin (D-IL)

Subcommittee

Crime and Counterterrorism

Chair

Josh Hawley (R-MO)

Ranking Member

Dick Durbin (D-IL)

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

Subcommittee

Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action and Federal Rights

Chair

Ted Cruz (R-TX)

Ranking Member

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

Adam Schiff (D-CA)

Subcommittee

Intellectual Property

Chair

Thom Tillis (R-NC)

Ranking Member

Adam Schiff (D-CA)

Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

Subcommittee

Privacy, Technology and the Law

Chair

Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

Ranking Member

Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member
Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights	Mike Lee (R-UT)	Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Border Security and Immigration	John Cornyn (R-TX)	Alex Padilla (D-CA)
The Constitution	Eric Schmitt (R-MO)	Peter Welch (D-VT)
Crime and Counterterrorism	Josh Hawley (R-MO)	Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action and Federal Rights	Ted Cruz (R-TX)	Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Intellectual Property	Thom Tillis (R-NC)	Adam Schiff (D-CA)
Privacy, Technology and the Law	Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)	Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

· Committee leadership › Chairs

Dudley Chase

Name

Dudley Chase

Party

Democratic-Republican

State

Vermont

Start

1816

End

1817

John Crittenden

Name

John Crittenden

Party

Democratic-Republican

State

Kentucky

Start

1817

End

1818

James Burrill

Name

James Burrill

Party

Federalist

State

Rhode Island

Start

1818

End

1819

William Smith

Name

William Smith

Party

Democratic-Republican

State

South Carolina

Start

1819

End

1823

Martin Van Buren

Name

Martin Van Buren

Party

Democratic-Republican

State

New York

Start

1823

End

1828

John Berrien

Name

John Berrien

Party

Jacksonian

State

Georgia

Start

1828

End

1829

John Rowan

Name

John Rowan

Party

Democratic-Republican

State

Kentucky

Start

1829

End

1831

William Marcy

Name

William Marcy

Party

Jacksonian

State

New York

Start

1831

End

1832

William Wilkins

Name

William Wilkins

Party

Jacksonian

State

Pennsylvania

Start

1832

End

1833

John Clayton

Name

John Clayton

Party

Anti-Jacksonian

State

Delaware

Start

1833

End

1836

Felix Grundy

Name

Felix Grundy

Party

Jacksonian

State

Tennessee

Start

1836

End

1838

Garret Wall

Name

Garret Wall

Party

Democratic

State

New Jersey

Start

1838

End

1841

John Berrien

Name

John Berrien

Party

Whig

State

Georgia

Start

1841

End

1845

Chester Ashley

Name

Chester Ashley

Party

Democratic

State

Arkansas

Start

1845

End

1847

Andrew Butler

Name

Andrew Butler

Party

Democratic

State

South Carolina

Start

1847

End

1857

James Bayard

Name

James Bayard

Party

Democratic

State

Delaware

Start

1857

End

1861

Lyman Trumbull

Name

Lyman Trumbull

Party

Republican

State

Illinois

Start

1861

End

1872

George Wright

Name

George Wright

Party

Republican

State

Iowa

Start

1872

George Edmunds

Name

George Edmunds

Party

Republican

State

Vermont

Start

1872

End

1879

Allen Thurman

Name

Allen Thurman

Party

Democratic

State

Ohio

Start

1879

End

1881

George Edmunds

Name

George Edmunds

Party

Republican

State

Vermont

Start

1881

End

1891

George Hoar

Name

George Hoar

Party

Republican

State

Massachusetts

Start

1891

End

1893

James Pugh

Name

James Pugh

Party

Democratic

State

Alabama

Start

1893

End

1895

George Hoar

Name

George Hoar

Party

Republican

State

Massachusetts

Start

1895

End

1904

Orville Platt

Name

Orville Platt

Party

Republican

State

Connecticut

Start

1904

End

1905

Clarence Clark

Name

Clarence Clark

Party

Republican

State

Wyoming

Start

1905

End

1912

Charles Culberson

Name

Charles Culberson

Party

Democratic

State

Texas

Start

1912

End

1919

Knute Nelson

Name

Knute Nelson

Party

Republican

State

Minnesota

Start

1919

End

1923

Frank Brandegee

Name

Frank Brandegee

Party

Republican

State

Connecticut

Start

1923

End

1924

Albert Cummins

Name

Albert Cummins

Party

Republican

State

Iowa

Start

1924

End

1926

George Norris

Name

George Norris

Party

Republican

State

Nebraska

Start

1926

End

1933

Henry Ashurst

Name

Henry Ashurst

Party

Democratic

State

Arizona

Start

1933

End

1941

Frederick Van Nuys

Name

Frederick Van Nuys

Party

Democratic

State

Indiana

Start

1941

End

1945

Pat McCarran

Name

Pat McCarran

Party

Democratic

State

Nevada

Start

1945

End

1947

Alexander Wiley

Name

Alexander Wiley

Party

Republican

State

Wisconsin

Start

1947

End

1949

Pat McCarran

Name

Pat McCarran

Party

Democratic

State

Nevada

Start

1949

End

1953

William Langer

Name

William Langer

Party

Republican

State

North Dakota

Start

1953

End

1955

Harley Kilgore

Name

Harley Kilgore

Party

Democratic

State

West Virginia

Start

1955

End

1956

James Eastland

Name

James Eastland

Party

Democratic

State

Mississippi

Start

1956

End

1978

Ted Kennedy

Name

Ted Kennedy

Party

Democratic

State

Massachusetts

Start

1978

End

1981

Strom Thurmond

Name

Strom Thurmond

Party

Republican

State

South Carolina

Start

1981

End

1987

Joe Biden

Name

Joe Biden

Party

Democratic

State

Delaware

Start

1987

End

1995

Orrin Hatch

Name

Orrin Hatch

Party

Republican

State

Utah

Start

1995

End

2001

Patrick Leahy

Name

Patrick Leahy

Party

Democratic

State

Vermont

Start

2001

Orrin Hatch

Name

Orrin Hatch

Party

Republican

State

Utah

Start

2001

Patrick Leahy

Name

Patrick Leahy

Party

Democratic

State

Vermont

Start

2001

End

2003

Orrin Hatch

Name

Orrin Hatch

Party

Republican

State

Utah

Start

2003

End

2005

Arlen Specter

Name

Arlen Specter

Party

Republican

State

Pennsylvania

Start

2005

End

2007

Patrick Leahy

Name

Patrick Leahy

Party

Democratic

State

Vermont

Start

2007

End

2015

Chuck Grassley

Name

Chuck Grassley

Party

Republican

State

Iowa

Start

2015

End

2019

Lindsey Graham

Name

Lindsey Graham

Party

Republican

State

South Carolina

Start

2019

End

2021

Dick Durbin

Name

Dick Durbin

Party

Democratic

State

Illinois

Start

2021

End

2025

Chuck Grassley

Name

Chuck Grassley

Party

Republican

State

Iowa

Start

2025

End

present

Name	Party	State	Start	End
Dudley Chase	Democratic-Republican	Vermont	1816	1817
John Crittenden	Democratic-Republican	Kentucky	1817	1818
James Burrill	Federalist	Rhode Island	1818	1819
William Smith	Democratic-Republican	South Carolina	1819	1823
Martin Van Buren	Democratic-Republican	New York	1823	1828
John Berrien	Jacksonian	Georgia	1828	1829
John Rowan	Democratic-Republican	Kentucky	1829	1831
William Marcy	Jacksonian	New York	1831	1832
William Wilkins	Jacksonian	Pennsylvania	1832	1833
John Clayton	Anti-Jacksonian	Delaware	1833	1836
Felix Grundy	Jacksonian	Tennessee	1836	1838
Garret Wall	Democratic	New Jersey	1838	1841
John Berrien	Whig	Georgia	1841	1845
Chester Ashley	Democratic	Arkansas	1845	1847
Andrew Butler	Democratic	South Carolina	1847	1857
James Bayard	Democratic	Delaware	1857	1861
Lyman Trumbull	Republican	Illinois	1861	1872
George Wright	Republican	Iowa	1872
George Edmunds	Republican	Vermont	1872	1879
Allen Thurman	Democratic	Ohio	1879	1881
George Edmunds	Republican	Vermont	1881	1891
George Hoar	Republican	Massachusetts	1891	1893
James Pugh	Democratic	Alabama	1893	1895
George Hoar	Republican	Massachusetts	1895	1904
Orville Platt	Republican	Connecticut	1904	1905
Clarence Clark	Republican	Wyoming	1905	1912
Charles Culberson	Democratic	Texas	1912	1919
Knute Nelson	Republican	Minnesota	1919	1923
Frank Brandegee	Republican	Connecticut	1923	1924
Albert Cummins	Republican	Iowa	1924	1926
George Norris	Republican	Nebraska	1926	1933
Henry Ashurst	Democratic	Arizona	1933	1941
Frederick Van Nuys	Democratic	Indiana	1941	1945
Pat McCarran	Democratic	Nevada	1945	1947
Alexander Wiley	Republican	Wisconsin	1947	1949
Pat McCarran	Democratic	Nevada	1949	1953
William Langer	Republican	North Dakota	1953	1955
Harley Kilgore	Democratic	West Virginia	1955	1956
James Eastland	Democratic	Mississippi	1956	1978
Ted Kennedy	Democratic	Massachusetts	1978	1981
Strom Thurmond	Republican	South Carolina	1981	1987
Joe Biden	Democratic	Delaware	1987	1995
Orrin Hatch	Republican	Utah	1995	2001
Patrick Leahy	Democratic	Vermont	2001
Orrin Hatch	Republican	Utah	2001
Patrick Leahy	Democratic	Vermont	2001	2003
Orrin Hatch	Republican	Utah	2003	2005
Arlen Specter	Republican	Pennsylvania	2005	2007
Patrick Leahy	Democratic	Vermont	2007	2015

· Committee leadership › Ranking members

Pat McCarran

Name

Pat McCarran

Party

Democratic

State

Nevada

Start

1947

End

1949

Alexander Wiley

Name

Alexander Wiley

Party

Republican

State

Wisconsin

Start

1949

End

1953

Pat McCarran

Name

Pat McCarran

Party

Democratic

State

Nevada

Start

1953

End

1955

Alexander Wiley

Name

Alexander Wiley

Party

Republican

State

Wisconsin

Start

1955

End

1963

Everett Dirksen

Name

Everett Dirksen

Party

Republican

State

Illinois

Start

1963

End

1969

Roman Hruska

Name

Roman Hruska

Party

Republican

State

Nebraska

Start

1969

End

1976

Strom Thurmond

Name

Strom Thurmond

Party

Republican

State

South Carolina

Start

1977

End

1981

Joe Biden

Name

Joe Biden

Party

Democratic

State

Delaware

Start

1981

End

1987

Strom Thurmond

Name

Strom Thurmond

Party

Republican

State

South Carolina

Start

1987

End

1993

Orrin Hatch

Name

Orrin Hatch

Party

Republican

State

Utah

Start

1993

End

1995

Joe Biden

Name

Joe Biden

Party

Democratic

State

Delaware

Start

1995

End

1997

Patrick Leahy

Name

Patrick Leahy

Party

Democratic

State

Vermont

Start

1997

End

2001

Orrin Hatch

Name

Orrin Hatch

Party

Republican

State

Utah

Start

2001

End

2003

Patrick Leahy

Name

Patrick Leahy

Party

Democratic

State

Vermont

Start

2003

End

2007

Arlen Specter

Name

Arlen Specter

Party

Republican

State

Pennsylvania

Start

2007

End

2009

Jeff Sessions

Name

Jeff Sessions

Party

Republican

State

Alabama

Start

2009

End

2011

Chuck Grassley

Name

Chuck Grassley

Party

Republican

State

Iowa

Start

2011

End

2015

Patrick Leahy

Name

Patrick Leahy

Party

Democratic

State

Vermont

Start

2015

End

2017

Dick Durbin

Name

Dick Durbin

Party

Democratic

State

Illinois

Start

2017

End

2021

Chuck Grassley

Name

Chuck Grassley

Party

Republican

State

Iowa

Start

2021

End

2023

Lindsey Graham

Name

Lindsey Graham

Party

Republican

State

South Carolina

Start

2023

End

2025

Dick Durbin

Name

Dick Durbin

Party

Democratic

State

Illinois

Start

2025

End

present

Name	Party	State	Start	End
Pat McCarran	Democratic	Nevada	1947	1949
Alexander Wiley	Republican	Wisconsin	1949	1953
Pat McCarran	Democratic	Nevada	1953	1955
Alexander Wiley	Republican	Wisconsin	1955	1963
Everett Dirksen	Republican	Illinois	1963	1969
Roman Hruska	Republican	Nebraska	1969	1976
Strom Thurmond	Republican	South Carolina	1977	1981
Joe Biden	Democratic	Delaware	1981	1987
Strom Thurmond	Republican	South Carolina	1987	1993
Orrin Hatch	Republican	Utah	1993	1995
Joe Biden	Democratic	Delaware	1995	1997
Patrick Leahy	Democratic	Vermont	1997	2001
Orrin Hatch	Republican	Utah	2001	2003
Patrick Leahy	Democratic	Vermont	2003	2007
Arlen Specter	Republican	Pennsylvania	2007	2009
Jeff Sessions	Republican	Alabama	2009	2011
Chuck Grassley	Republican	Iowa	2011	2015
Patrick Leahy	Democratic	Vermont	2015	2017
Dick Durbin	Democratic	Illinois	2017	2021
Chuck Grassley	Republican	Iowa	2021	2023
Lindsey Graham	Republican	South Carolina	2023	2025
Dick Durbin	Democratic	Illinois	2025	present

· Historical committee rosters › 118th Congress

Dick Durbin, Illinois, Chair Dianne Feinstein, California (until September 29, 2023) Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Chris Coons, Delaware Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Cory Booker, New Jersey Alex Padilla, California Jon Ossoff, Georgia Peter Welch, Vermont Laphonza Butler, California (Oc

Majority

Minority

Lindsey Graham, South Carolina, Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Cornyn, Texas Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas Josh Hawley, Missouri Tom Cotton, Arkansas John Kennedy, Louisiana Thom Tillis, North Carolina Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee

Majority	Minority
Dick Durbin, Illinois, Chair Dianne Feinstein, California (until September 29, 2023) Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Chris Coons, Delaware Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Cory Booker, New Jersey Alex Padilla, California Jon Ossoff, Georgia Peter Welch, Vermont Laphonza Butler, California (Oc	Lindsey Graham, South Carolina, Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, Iowa John Cornyn, Texas Mike Lee, Utah Ted Cruz, Texas Josh Hawley, Missouri Tom Cotton, Arkansas John Kennedy, Louisiana Thom Tillis, North Carolina Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee

References

U . Senate: Committee on the Judiciary -- Committee Membership List
https://www.senate.gov/general/committee_membership/committee_memberships_SSJU.htm
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/about/jurisdiction
GovTrack
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/committees/SSJU
National Archives
https://web.archive.org/web/20170408082133/https://www.archives.gov/legislative/guide/senate/chapter-13-judiciary-1947-1968.html
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
https://web.archive.org/web/20170408082454/https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/about/history
Time
https://time.com/6142711/joe-biden-supreme-court-nominee-mitch-mcconnell-stephen-breyer/
S . 16, S . 38 (119th Congress)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-resolution/16
S . 17 (119th Congress)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-resolution/17
Committee on the Judiciary
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-durbin-announce-senate-judiciary-subcommittee-assignments-for-the-119th-congress
When the Senate convened in January 2001 17 days before President George W. Bush was inaugurated, there was a 50 |50 spl
In June 2001, Republican Jim Jeffords declared himself an Independent and caucused with the Democrats, giving the Democr
S . 30 (118th Congress)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-resolution/30
S . 31 (118th Congress)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-resolution/31
Senate Democrats
https://www.democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/majority-leader-schumer-announces-new-senate-democratic-committee-assignments
S . 926
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-resolution/926
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/about/members
The Senate of the United States Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CPUB-115spub10/pdf/GPO-CPUB-115spub10.pdf
The Senate of the United States Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CPUB-115spub4/pdf/GPO-CPUB-115spub4.pdf
The Senate of the United States Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the One Hundred Fourteenth Congress
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CPUB-114spub5/pdf/GPO-CPUB-114spub5.pdf
The Senate of the United States Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the One Hundred Thirteenth Congress
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CPUB-113spub19/pdf/GPO-CPUB-113spub19.pdf