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Photo Gallery

The following images appear on the Senate Judiciary Committee website.  All photos are followed by descriptive captions.

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July 13, 2009 - Chairman Patrick Leahy swears in Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor before her testimony.  U.S. Senate Photography Studio
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July 13, 2009 - Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor on the first day of her confirmation hearings.  U.S. Senate Photography Studio
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July 13, 2009 - Chairman Patrick Leahy and Ranking Member Jeff Sessions during the confirmation hearings on the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to be an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.  U.S. Senate Photography Studio
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July 13, 2009 - The first day of the confirmation hearings on the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to be an Associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.  U.S. Senate Photography Studio
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January 16, 2009 - On January 16, 2009, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a confirmation hearing on the nomination of Eric H. Holder Jr. to be the 82nd U.S. Attorney General.  Holder was confirmed by the Senate on February 2, 2009. 
U.S Senate Photographic Studio
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 January 30, 2008 - The Senate Judiciary Committee holds periodic Department of Justice Oversight hearings with the Attorney General.  Here, Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey testifies before the panel at a January 30, 2008, hearing.
U.S. Senate Photographic Studio
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 October 17, 2007 - The Senate Judiciary Committee convened a hearing on October 17, 2007, to consider the nomination of Michael B. Mukasey to be the 81st U.S. Attorney General.  The Attorney General oversees the functions of the Department of Justice, and is a member of the President's cabinet.  Attorney General Mukasey was confirmed by the Senate on November 8, 2007. 
U.S. Senate Photographic Studio

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January 9, 2006 - Confirmation proceedings on the nomination of Samuel A. Alito Jr., to be an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court began on January 9, 2006.  Justice Alito was nominated to replace Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who announced her retirement in July 2005.  Upon his confirmation by the Senate on January 31, 2006, Justice Alito became the 1110th Supreme Court Justice. 
U.S. Senate Photographic Studio
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 September 12, 2005 - The Senate Judiciary Committee convened the confirmation hearing for John G. Roberts, Jr., to be the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court on September 12, 2005.  Chief Justice Roberts was originally nominated to fill a a vacancy created by the retirement of Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.  Before confirmation hearings could begin, however, the nomination was withdrawn, and Judge Roberts was nominated to be the Chief Justice following the passing of Chief Justice William Rehnquist in September 2005.  Chief Justice Roberts was confirmed by the Senate on September 29, 2005. 
U.S. Senate Photographic Studio

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January 16, 1939 - Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee at a meeting, seated around the table from left to right: Albert B. Chandler, Warren R. Austin, Chairman Henry F. Ashurst, Thomas T. Connally, and George W. Norris.  Standing from left to right are: Carl A. Hatch, Ernest McFarland, Matthew M. Neely, Frederick Van Nuys, Edward R. Burke, Marvel M. Logan, James H. Hughes, Patrick A. McCarran, Alenxander Wiley, and John A. Danaher. 
U.S. Senate Historical Office
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March 10, 1937 - The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings to consider President Roosevelt's proposal to increase the membership on the U.S. Supreme Court.  Attorney General Homer S. Cummings testified at a March 10, 1937 hearing.  Pictured left to right are Chairman Henry F. Ashurst, Cummings, and Senator Key Pittman.  Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.
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February 8, 1937 - The Senate Judiciary Committee met to consider President Roosevelt's request to increase the membership on the Supreme Court.  Pictured seated left to right:  Senators WIlliam E. Borah, Henry F. Ashurst, and Pat McCarran.  Standing left to right: Senators Frederich Van Nuys, Edward R. Burke, Warren Austin, Key Pittman, George McGill, and Carl Hatch.  Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.
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May 1, 1929 - Featured Banner Image - The Senate Judiciary Committee considered the deterioration of the nation's financial system, and the right of Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon to retain his post in a May 1, 1929, hearing.  Mellon's tenure focused on reducing federal debt after World War I and increasing federal revenue while cutting spending.  Mellon is the only Treasury Secretary to serve under three different presidents:  Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover. Pictured from left to right are Judiciary Committee members Lee S. Overman, George W. Norris, John J. Blaine, D.O. Hastings, Thomas J. Walsh, Charles W. Waterman, and Frederick Steiwer. 
U.S. Senate Historical Office

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April 5, 1926 - From April 5 to April 24, 1926, a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings to debate the Volstead Act, the national prohibition law.  Pictured in the top row, left to right, are:  Henry F. Ashurst, Arthur Robinson, Richard P. Ernst, and William H. King.  Pictured seated, left to right, are: John W. Harreld, James A. Reed, Rice W. Means, Thomas J. Walks, and Guy D. Goff. 
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.
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January 28, 1925 - The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Harlan F. Stone to be Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.  Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee appear before the hearing, from left to right: Rice W. Means, Selden P. Spencer, Frederick H. Gillet, Richard P. Ernst, Albert B. Cummins, Lee S. Overman, Samuel M. Shortridge, James A. Reed, Henry F. Ashurst, Guy D. Goff, William H. King, and Thaddeus H. Caraway. 
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.

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January 28, 1925 - The Senate Judiciary Committee held the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court nominee Harlan F. Stone on January 28, 1925.  Justice Stone was the first Supreme Court nominee to testify before the Committee in person.  Pictured left to right:  Senator Albert Baird Cummins, Harlan F. Stone, and Senator Thomas James Walsh. 
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.
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1919- Featured Banner Image - The Senate Judiciary Committee held a Subcommittee hearing about Bloshevik Propaganda on February 11, 1919.  The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 created a growing fear of communist influence.  Judiciary Committee hearings were held after Attorney General Alexander Palmer accused German brewers of engaging in illegal and un-American activities.  A final Committee report failed to show any connection between the German brewers and the Bolsheviks.  Pictured left to right:  Senator Josiah Oliver Wolcott (D-Del.), Chairman Lee S. Overman (D-N.C.), Senator Knute Nelson (R-Minn.).  U.S. Senate Historical Office		 012380SuffrageTestimony-Thumb
January 23, 1880 - The Senate Judiciary Committee convened on January 23, 1880, to hear from delegates to the 12th Washington convention of the National Women-Suffrage Association.  Providing testimony to the Committee were Susan B. Anthony, Zerelda G. Wallace, Elizabeth L. Saxon, Mary A. Stewart, Lucinda B. Chandler, Julia Smith Parker, Nancy R. Allen, and Sara A. Spencer.  The transcript was printed two years later. 
Senate Misc. Doc. No. 74, 47th Congress, 1st Session
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1864 - Featured Banner Image - Excerpt from a letter from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lyman Trumbull to President Abraham Lincoln about recognition of credentials of Senators from Arkansas. 
The Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress, Series 1

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1856 - Featured Banner Image - The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room in the Capitol was photographed in 1856 by Glenn Brown. 
Plate 239, Senate Documents 56-30, Volume 2. 
U.S. Senate Historical Office
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December 10, 1816 - Featured Banner Image - It was only in 1816 - 25 years after the Senate's establishment - that the Senate adopted a resolution establishing 11 standing Committees, including the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.  The 11 permanent Committees were:  Judiciary, Foreign Relations, Ways and Means, Commerce and Manufacturers, Military Affairs, Militia, Naval Affairs, Public Lands, Claims, Post-Office and Post-Roads, and Pensions. 
Center for Legislative Archives, National Archives

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Undated - Featured Banner Image - In this undated photo from the Senate Historical Office, Chairman James O. Eastland and Senators Strom Thurmond, Marlow Cook and  Edward Gurney sit behind the dais in the Committee hearing room. 
U.S. Senate Historical Office

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 Undated - Featured Banner Image - This undated photograph from the Senate Historical Office depicts Senate Judiciary Committee members Philip Hart, Clifford Hansen, and Everett Dirksen. 
U.S. Senate Historical Office

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 Featured Banner Image - The United States Capitol is flanked to the North by the Senate office buildings, and to the South by the House of Representatives office buildings.  The Capitol is seen here from the South. 
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee
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 Featured Banner Image - The Senate Judiciary Committee meets in room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.  Committee hearings are open to the public, and the hearing room can accommodate approximately 70 public visitors during regular hearings. 
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

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 Featured Banner Image - The U.S. Capitol is connected underground to the Senate office buildings through a series of tunnels. 
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee
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 Featured Banner Image - Before the construction of the Senate office buildings, the Judiciary Committee convened in the U.S. Capitol. 
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee
noteworthy

Did You Know?  In 1872, Susan B. Anthony petitioned the Judiciary Committee to reduce a fine imposed by the State of New York after her arrest for voting in a State election.  In 1880, she testified before the Committee advocating for women's voting rights.  It would be another 40 years until the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote was ratified, in 1920.

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