Supreme Court of the United States
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1994
Present: Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice Stevens, Justice O'Connor, Justice Scalia, Justice Kennedy, Justice Souter, Justice Thomas, Justice Ginsburg, and Justice Breyer.
The Marshal said:
All Rise, the President of the United States.
The Chief Justice said:
On behalf of the Court, Mr. President, I extend to you a warm welcome. This special sitting of the Court is held today to receive the Commission of the newly appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Stephen Breyer. The Court now recognizes the Attorney General of the United States, Ms. Janet Reno.
The Attorney General said:
Mr. Chief Justice and may it please the Court, I have the Commission which has been issued to the Honorable Stephen Breyer as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Commission has been duly signed by the President of the United States and attested by me as the Attorney General of the United States. I move that the Clerk read the Commission and that it be made part of the permanent records of this Court.
The Chief Justice said:
Thank you, Ms. Reno, your motion is granted. Mr. Clerk, will you please read the Commission?
The Clerk read the Commission:
William Jefferson Clinton,
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
To all Who Shall See These Presents, Greeting:
Know Ye; That reposing special trust and confidence in the wisdom, uprightness, and learning of Stephen G. Breyer, of Massachusetts, I have nominated, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint him an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and do authorize and empower him to execute and fulfill the duties of that office according to the Constitution and Laws of the said United States, and to Have and to Hold the said Office, with all the powers, privileges and emoluments to the same of right appertaining, unto Him, the said Stephen G. Breyer, during his good behavior.
In Testimony whereof, I have caused these Letters to be made patent and the seal of the Department of Justice to be hereunto affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Second Day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and ninety-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and nineteenth.
[seal] William Jefferson Clinton By the President:
Janet Reno,
Attorney General
The Chief Justice said:
I now ask the Chief Deputy Clerk of the Court to escort
Justice Breyer to the bench.
The Chief Justice said:
Justice Breyer, are you ready to take the oath?
Justice Breyer said:
I am.
The Chief Justice said:
Please repeat after me.
Justice Breyer said:
I, Stephen Breyer, do solemnly swear that I will administer justice without respect to persons and do equal right to the poor and to the rich and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States under the Constitution and laws of the United States, so help me God.
Stephen Breyer
Subscribed and sworn to before me this thirtieth day of September, 1994.
William H. Rehnquist
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice said:
Justice Breyer, on behalf of all the members of the Court, it is a pleasure to extend to you a very warm welcome as the 108th Justice of the Court and to wish you a long and happy career in our common calling.
Last modified: December 21, 2005