Current age and status
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born on March 15, 1933, and passed away on September 18, 2020. She served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from August 1993 until her death in September 2020. This overview provides verified milestones, service dates, and legacy context, with a concise summary table and explanations drawn from authoritative public records.
Biographical overview
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Ginsburg earned her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and her law degree from Columbia Law School. She was a pioneering advocate for gender equality, cofounding the Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU and arguing several landmark cases before the Supreme Court. President Bill Clinton nominated her to the Supreme Court in 1993; she served for nearly 27 years, becoming a prominent liberal voice and a frequent subject of public discussion about the Court’s role in American life.
Key career milestones and timeline
Below are the central dates and roles in Ginsburg’s professional life, presented with concise context for why each matters.
| Date or Period | Event | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| March 15, 1933 | Born in Brooklyn, New York | Establishes baseline for age calculations and historical context |
| 1954 | Earned BA from Cornell University | Early academic foundation before law school |
| 1959 | Earned JD from Columbia Law School | Launched legal career despite significant gender barriers |
| 1970–1971 | Co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU | Catalyst for her strategic litigation on gender equality |
| 1973–1970s | Argued multiple landmark cases before the Supreme Court as an ACLU attorney | Built record of persuasive legal advocacy that shaped constitutional doctrine |
| 1980 | Appointed by President Carter to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit | Extended federal judicial experience before Supreme Court nomination |
| August 1993 | Nominated by President Bill Clinton to the Supreme Court | Beginnings of service at the nation’s highest court |
| August 10, 1993 | Confirmed by the Senate and sworn in | Formally began tenure as the 107th Justice |
| 1993–2020 | Served as Associate Justice for nearly 27 years | She became the second woman and first Jewish woman on the Court |
| September 18, 2020 | Died in Washington, D.C. | End of tenure; legacy continues in Court decisions and public discourse |
Age calculation and service duration
Using standard age calculation (last birthday method), Ginsburg was 87 years old at the time of her death in September 2020. She served on the Supreme Court from August 1993 to September 2020, a tenure of approximately 27 years. These figures are commonly referenced in historical summaries, biographies, and official records.
Notable details and clarifying context
- She was the second woman and the first Jewish woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
- Before the Court, her work with the ACLU established key precedents on gender equality.
- During her tenure, she authored notable opinions in cases involving civil rights, gender discrimination, and voting rights.
- Her death in 2020 generated significant discussion about Court vacancies, succession, and the timing of nominations.
Comparative context
Compared with colleagues and predecessors, Ginsburg’s service was among the longest on the modern Court. Her career can be summarized as follows:
| Figure | Detail | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Born | March 15, 1933 | Age at key appointments and events can be derived from this date |
| Appointed to the Supreme Court | August 1993 | By President Bill Clinton; confirmed same year |
| Tenure length | Approximately 27 years | One of the longest-serving justices of the late 20th and early 21st centuries |
| Died | September 18, 2020 | Age 87; end of service on the Court |
Legacy and ongoing relevance
Ginsburg’s jurisprudence emphasized equal protection and women’s rights, and she became a widely recognized cultural figure. Her opinions on privacy, voting, and statutory interpretation continue to influence debates about the direction of constitutional law. Successors, confirmations, and Court dynamics remain active topics, making accurate background information about her age, tenure, and milestones especially relevant for ongoing understanding of the federal judiciary.