Brett Kavanaugh

Brett Kavanaugh – Life, Career, and Notable Quotes

Explore the biography of Brett Kavanaugh (born 1965) — American lawyer, federal judge, and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Learn about his early life, education, legal career, Supreme Court tenure, controversies, judicial philosophy, and some of his most quoted statements.

Introduction

Brett Michael Kavanaugh is a prominent and polarizing figure in contemporary American jurisprudence. Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 after a contentious confirmation process, he has become a pivotal justice in debates over constitutional interpretation, executive power, and social issues. His life story bridges elite legal training, government service, high-stakes controversy, and the pressures of being on America’s highest court.

Early Life and Family

• Birth & background:
  Brett Kavanaugh was born on February 12, 1965, in Washington, D.C. His parents were Everett Edward Kavanaugh Jr. (a lawyer and later lobbyist) and Martha Gamble Kavanaugh (a teacher, later a judge). He comes from Irish Catholic ancestry on both sides of his family.

• Upbringing & schooling:
  He was raised in Bethesda, Maryland. For secondary education, he attended Georgetown Preparatory School, a Jesuit boys’ prep school, where he was two years ahead of Neil Gorsuch (who would later become another Supreme Court justice).

Education & Early Legal Training

• Undergraduate & Law School:
  Kavanaugh earned his B.A. from Yale University in 1987. He then completed his J.D. at Yale Law School in 1990.

• Clerkships and early roles:
  After law school, Kavanaugh served clerkships for:

  1. Judge Walter King Stapleton, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (1990–1991)

  2. Judge Alex Kozinski, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1991–1992)

  3. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy (1993–1994)

• Work with Ken Starr & government roles:
  He later worked with Ken Starr in the Office of the Independent Counsel, contributing to investigations including the Starr Report regarding President Bill Clinton. He also served in the White House under President George W. Bush, including as Staff Secretary.

Judicial Career

D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals (2006–2018)

• In 2006, President George W. Bush nominated Kavanaugh to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and he was confirmed after a protracted process.

• On the D.C. Circuit, Kavanaugh became known as a “feeder judge” (i.e., a judge whose clerks often go on to clerk at the Supreme Court).

• Some of his decisions and dissents addressed issues such as regulatory authority, environmental law, separation of powers and limits on executive power.

Supreme Court (2018 – Present)

• President Donald Trump nominated Kavanaugh on July 9, 2018, to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy.

• His confirmation process was intensely controversial, in part because of sexual misconduct and assault allegations (notably by Christine Blasey Ford) which he denied.

• The Senate confirmed him by a narrow 50–48 vote on October 6, 2018.

• He officially took his seat as Associate Justice on October 2018.

Key positions & influence

• On abortion law / Roe v. Wade / Dobbs, Kavanaugh was among the justices who joined opinions that overturned Roe (i.e. in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization).

• On LGBT rights / Title VII: he dissented in Bostock v. Clayton County, arguing that discrimination based on sexual orientation should be addressed by Congress, not courts.

• On executive power and separation of powers: he has taken relatively expansive views of certain presidential authorities, and written and spoken about limits and immunities in government structure.

• Kavanaugh also teaches and gives lectures: he has taught at Harvard Law School, Yale, and other institutions.

• In June 2022, Kavanaugh was the target of an assassination plot. A suspect traveled to his Maryland home intending to kill him; the suspect later turned themselves in.

Personality, Challenges & Public Image

• Public and partisan divides: Kavanaugh’s confirmation and judicial record place him at the center of U.S. political polarization. Many see him as a strong conservative voice on the Court; others view his confirmation process and past actions as controversial or undermining legitimacy.

• Emotional and rhetorical style under scrutiny: During his Senate confirmation hearings, Kavanaugh’s emotional displays, tone, and responses to accusations drew intense public and media attention.

• Judicial self-presentation: In his public remarks and writings, Kavanaugh often frames the Court as a nonpartisan institution and underscores judicial independence as vital to constitutional governance.

Famous Quotes by Brett Kavanaugh

Here are some notable and often-cited words attributed to him:

• “I believe that an independent and impartial judiciary is essential to our constitutional republic.”

• “The Supreme Court is the last line of defense for the separation of powers and for the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution.”

• “My judicial philosophy is straightforward. A judge must be independent and must interpret the law, not make the law.”

• “The Supreme Court must never be viewed as a partisan institution.”

• “When people ask what it’s like to be an only child, I say it depends on who your parents are. I was lucky.”

• “I thank God every day for my family.”

Lessons & Reflections

1. Institutional legitimacy matters deeply. Kavanaugh’s emphasis on judicial independence and nonpartisanship underscores how crucial public trust is for a constitutional court.

2. Personal history becomes public in modern times. The scrutiny during his confirmation illustrates how past conduct, even from youth, can shape public and legal judgment.

3. Judicial philosophy and policy influence intersect. A justice’s approach to statutory interpretation, precedent, executive authority, and constitutional text can ripple across many areas of law.

4. Controversy is inescapable at high office. Kavanaugh’s career demonstrates that being a Supreme Court justice in the 21st century is as much about symbolic and political pressures as legal reasoning.

5. Resilience under pressure. Whether one agrees or disagrees with his decisions, Kavanaugh’s path reflects how high-stakes public roles demand stamina, rhetorical discipline, and emotional fortitude.