# United States House Committee on the Judiciary

The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, federal administrative agencies, and federal law enforcement entities. The Judiciary Committee is often involved in the impeachment process against federal officials. Because of the legal nature of its oversight, committee members usually have a legal background, but this is not required.
In the 118th Congress, the chairman of the committee is Republican Jim Jordan of Ohio, and the ranking minority member is Democrat Jerry Nadler of New York.

## History

The committee was created on June 3, 1813, for the purpose of considering legislation related to the judicial system. This committee approved impeachment resolutions/articles of impeachment against presidents in four instances: against Andrew Johnson (in 1867), Richard Nixon (in 1974), Bill Clinton (in 1998), and Donald Trump (in 2019).
In the 115th Congress, the chairman of the committee was Republican Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, and the ranking minority member was initially Democrat John Conyers of Michigan. On November 26, 2017, Conyers stepped down from his position as ranking member, while he faced an ethics investigation. On November 28, 2017, Jerrold Nadler of New York was named as acting ranking member.
In the 116th Congress, the House flipped from Republican to Democratic control. Doug Collins, a Republican from Georgia's 9th congressional district, became ranking member and served from 2019 to 2020. In early 2020, Collins stepped down from his leadership position when he became a candidate in the 2020 special election held to replace retiring U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson. Under House Republican rules, members must relinquish leadership positions if they launch a bid for another office. Collins was succeeded as ranking member by Jordan, who represents Ohio's 4th congressional district, but who has never taken a bar examination or practiced law.

### Predecessor committees

* Claims: Functions merged in 1946
* Immigration and Naturalization: Functions merged in 1946
* Internal Security: Functions merged in 1975
** Un-American Activities: Functions merged into Internal Security in 1969
* Patents: Functions merged in 1946
* Revision of Laws: Functions merged in 1946
* War Claims: Functions merged in 1946

## Members, 119th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Jim Jordan, Ohio, Chair Darrell Issa, California Andy Biggs, Arizona Tom McClintock, California Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin Thomas Massie, Kentucky Chip Roy, Texas Scott Fitzgerald, Wisconsin Ben Cline, Virginia Lance Gooden, Texas Jeff Van Drew, New Jersey Troy Nehls, Texas Barry Moore, Alabama Kevin Kiley, California Harriet Hageman, Wyoming Laurel Lee, Florida Wesley Hunt, Texas Russell Fry, South Carolina Glenn Grothman, Wisconsin Brad Knott, North Carolina Mark Harris, North Carolina Bob Onder, Missouri Derek Schmidt, Kansas Brandon Gill, Texas Michael Baumgartner, Washington | Jamie Raskin, Maryland, Ranking Member Jerry Nadler, New York Zoe Lofgren, California Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Eric Swalwell, California Ted Lieu, California Pramila Jayapal, Washington Lou Correa, California Mary Gay Scanlon, Pennsylvania Joe Neguse, Colorado Lucy McBath, Georgia Deborah Ross, North Carolina Becca Balint, Vermont Chuy García, Illinois Sydney Kamlager-Dove, California Jared Moskowitz, Florida Dan Goldman, New York Jasmine Crockett, Texas |
Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 13 (Chair), H.Res. 14 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 31 (R), H.Res. 40 (D)

## Subcommittees

| Subcommittee | Chair | Ranking Member |
| Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust | Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI) | Jerry Nadler (D-NY) |
| The Constitution and Limited Government | Chip Roy (R-TX) | Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) |
| Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet | Darrell Issa (R-CA) | Hank Johnson (D-GA) |
| Crime and Federal Government Surveillance | Andy Biggs (R-AZ) | Lucy McBath (D-GA) |
| Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement | Tom McClintock (R-CA) | Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) |
| Oversight | Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) | Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) |

## List of chairs

| Chairman | Party | State | Years |
| Charles J. Ingersoll | Democratic-Republican | Pennsylvania | 1813 – 1815 |
| Hugh Nelson | Democratic-Republican | Virginia | 1815 – 1819 |
| John Sergeant | Democratic-Republican | Pennsylvania | 1819 – 1822 |
| Hugh Nelson | Democratic-Republican | Virginia | 1822 – 1823 |
| Daniel Webster | Federalist | Massachusetts | 1823 – 1827 |
| Philip P. Barbour | Democratic | Virginia | 1827 – 1829 |
| James Buchanan | Democratic | Pennsylvania | 1829 – 1831 |
| Warren R. Davis | Democratic | South Carolina | 1831 – 1832 |
| John Bell | Democratic | Tennessee | 1832 – 1834 |
| Thomas F. Foster | Whig | Georgia | 1834 – 1835 |
| Samuel Beardsley | Democratic | New York | 1835 – 1836 |
| Francis Thomas | Democratic | Maryland | 1836 – 1839 |
| John Sergeant | Whig | Pennsylvania | 1839 – 1841 |
| Daniel D. Barnard | Whig | New York | 1841 – 1843 |
| William Wilkins | Democratic | Pennsylvania | 1843 – 1844 |
| Romulus M. Saunders | Democratic | North Carolina | 1844 – 1845 |
| George O. Rathbun | Democratic | New York | 1845 – 1847 |
| Joseph R. Ingersoll | Whig | Pennsylvania | 1847 – 1849 |
| James Thompson | Democratic | Pennsylvania | 1849 – 1851 |
| James X. McLanahan | Democratic | Pennsylvania | 1851 – 1853 |
| Frederick P. Stanton | Democratic | Tennessee | 1853 – 1855 |
| George A. Simmons | Whig & Republican | New York | 1855 – 1857 |
| George S. Houston | Democratic | Alabama | 1857 – 1859 |
| John Hickman | Republican | Pennsylvania | 1859 – 1863 |
| James F. Wilson | Republican | Iowa | 1863 – 1869 |
| John A. Bingham | Republican | Ohio | 1869 – 1873 |
| Benjamin F. Butler | Republican | Massachusetts | 1873 – 1875 |
| James P. Knott | Democratic | Kentucky | 1875 – 1881 |
| Thomas Brackett Reed | Republican | Maine | 1881 – 1883 |
| John R. Tucker | Democratic | Virginia | 1883 – 1887 |
| David B. Culberson | Democratic | Texas | 1887 – 1889 |
| Ezra B. Taylor | Republican | Ohio | 1889 – 1891 |
| David B. Culberson | Democratic | Texas | 1891 – 1895 |
| David B. Henderson | Republican | Iowa | 1895 – 1899 |
| George W. Ray | Republican | New York | 1899 – 1903 |
| John J. Jenkins | Republican | Wisconsin | 1903 – 1909 |
| Richard W. Parker | Republican | New Jersey | 1909 – 1911 |
| Henry De Lamar Clayton | Democratic | Alabama | 1911 – 1914 |
| Edwin Y. Webb | Democratic | North Carolina | 1914 – 1919 |
| Andrew J. Volstead | Republican | Minnesota | 1919 – 1923 |
| George S. Graham | Republican | Pennsylvania | 1923 – 1931 |
| Hatton W. Sumners | Democratic | Texas | 1931 – 1947 |
| Earl C. Michener | Republican | Michigan | 1947 – 1949 |
| Emanuel Celler | Democratic | New York | 1949 – 1953 |
| Chauncey W. Reed | Republican | Illinois | 1953 – 1955 |
| Emanuel Celler | Democratic | New York | 1955 – 1973 |
| Peter W. Rodino Jr. | Democratic | New Jersey | 1973 – 1989 |
| Jack Brooks | Democratic | Texas | 1989 – 1995 |
| Henry Hyde | Republican | Illinois | 1995 – 2001 |
| Jim Sensenbrenner | Republican | Wisconsin | 2001 – 2007 |
| John Conyers | Democratic | Michigan | 2007 – 2011 |
| Lamar Smith | Republican | Texas | 2011 – 2013 |
| Bob Goodlatte | Republican | Virginia | 2013 – 2019 |
| Jerrold Nadler | Democratic | New York | 2019 – 2023 |
| Jim Jordan | Republican | Ohio | 2023 – present |

## Historical membership rosters
### 118th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Jim Jordan, Ohio, Chair Darrell Issa, California Ken Buck, Colorado Matt Gaetz, Florida Mike Johnson, Louisiana (until October 25, 2023) Andy Biggs, Arizona Tom McClintock, California Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin Thomas Massie, Kentucky Chip Roy, Texas Dan Bishop, North Carolina Victoria Spartz, Indiana Scott L. Fitzgerald, Wisconsin Cliff Bentz, Oregon Ben Cline, Virginia Lance Gooden, Texas Jeff Van Drew, New Jersey Troy Nehls, Texas Barry Moore, Alabama Kevin Kiley, California Harriet Hageman, Wyoming Nathaniel Moran, Texas Laurel Lee, Florida Wesley Hunt, Texas Russell Fry, South Carolina Kelly Armstrong, North Dakota (from December 5, 2023) | Jerry Nadler, New York, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas (until July 19, 2024) Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Adam Schiff, California (until November 13, 2024) David Cicilline, Rhode Island (until May 31, 2023) Eric Swalwell, California Ted Lieu, California Pramila Jayapal, Washington Lou Correa, California Mary Gay Scanlon, Pennsylvania Joe Neguse, Colorado Lucy McBath, Georgia Madeleine Dean, Pennsylvania Veronica Escobar, Texas Deborah Ross, North Carolina Cori Bush, Missouri Glenn Ivey, Maryland Becca Balint, Vermont (from June 13, 2023) Chuy García, Illinois (from September 10, 2024) Erica Lee Carter, Texas (from November 20, 2024) |
Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 14 (Chair), H.Res. 15 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 70 (R), H.Res. 71 (D), H.Res. 502 (D), H.Res. 908 (R), H.Res. 1431 (García), H.Res. 1585 (Carter)

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittee | Chair | Ranking Member |
| Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust | Thomas Massie (R-KY) | David Cicilline (D-RI) (until 5/31/23) Lou Correa (D-CA) (from 5/31/23) |
| The Constitution and Limited Government | Mike Johnson (R-LA) (until 10/25/23) Chip Roy (R-TX) (from 10/26/23) | Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) |
| Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet | Darrell Issa (R-CA) | Hank Johnson (D-GA) |
| Crime and Federal Government Surveillance | Andy Biggs (R-AZ) | Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) (until 7/19/24) |
| Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement | Tom McClintock (R-CA) | Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) |
| Responsiveness and Accountability to Oversight | Ben Cline (R-VA) | Eric Swalwell (D-CA) |
| Weaponization of the Federal Government (Select) | Jim Jordan (R-OH) | Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) |

### 117th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Jim Jordan, Ohio, Chair Darrell Issa, California Chip Roy, Texas Mike Johnson, Louisiana Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin Tom McClintock, California Victoria Spartz, Indiana Matt Gaetz, Florida Scott L. Fitzgerald, Wisconsin Cliff Bentz, Oregon Ken Buck, Colorado Greg Steube, Florida Andy Biggs, Arizona TBD, Vice Chair Thomas Massie, Kentucky Michelle Fischbach, Minnesota Dan Bishop, North Carolina Burgess Owens, Utah | Jerry Nadler, New York, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren, California Joe Neguse, Colorado Hank Johnson, Georgia Steve Cohen, Tennessee David Cicilline, Rhode Island Jamie Raskin, Maryland Greg Stanton, Arizona Eric Swalwell, California Lou Correa, California Lucy McBath, Georgia Veronica Escobar, Texas Ted Lieu, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Deborah Ross, North Carolina Pramila Jayapal, Washington Madeleine Dean, Pennsylvania Mary Gay Scanlon, Pennsylvania Sylvia Garcia, Texas Cori Bush, Missouri |
Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 9 (Chair), H.Res. 10 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 62 (D), H.Res. 63 (R)

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittee | Chair | Ranking Member |
| Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law | Ken Buck (R-CO) | David Cicilline (D-RI) |
| The Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties | Mike Johnson (R-LA) | Steve Cohen (D-TN) |
| Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet | Darrell Issa (R-CA) | Hank Johnson (D-GA) |
| Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security | Andy Biggs (R-AZ) | Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) |
| Immigration and Citizenship | Tom McClintock (R-CA) | Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) |
| Weaponization of the Federal Government | Jim Jordan (R-OH) | TBA |

### 116th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Jerry Nadler, New York, Chair Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Ted Deutch, Florida Karen Bass, California Cedric Richmond, Louisiana Hakeem Jeffries, New York David Cicilline, Rhode Island Eric Swalwell, California Ted Lieu, California Jamie Raskin, Maryland Pramila Jayapal, Washington Val Demings, Florida Lou Correa, California Mary Gay Scanlon, Pennsylvania, Vice Chair Sylvia Garcia, Texas Joe Neguse, Colorado Lucy McBath, Georgia Greg Stanton, Arizona Madeleine Dean, Pennsylvania Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Florida Veronica Escobar, Texas | Jim Jordan, Ohio, Ranking Member (since March 20, 2020) Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin Steve Chabot, Ohio Louie Gohmert, Texas Doug Collins, Georgia, Ranking Member (until March 12, 2020) Ken Buck, Colorado Martha Roby, Alabama Matt Gaetz, Florida Mike Johnson, Louisiana Andy Biggs, Arizona Tom McClintock, California Debbie Lesko, Arizona Guy Reschenthaler, Pennsylvania Ben Cline, Virginia Kelly Armstrong, North Dakota Greg Steube, Florida Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin (since July 1, 2020) |
Sources: H.Res. 24 (Chair), H.Res. 25 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 46 (D), H.Res. 68 (R), H.Res. 903 (R), H.Res. 1037 (R)

#### Subcommittees

| Subcommittee | Chair | Ranking Member |
| Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law | David Cicilline (D-RI) | Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) |
| The Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties | Steve Cohen (D-TN) | Mike Johnson (R-LA) |
| Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet | Hank Johnson (D-GA) | Martha Roby (R-AL) |
| Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security | Karen Bass (D-CA) | John Ratcliffe (R-TX) |
| Immigration and Citizenship | Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) | Ken Buck (R-CO) |

### 115th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Bob Goodlatte, Virginia, Chair Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin Lamar S. Smith, Texas Steve Chabot, Ohio Darrell Issa, California Steve King, Iowa Louie Gohmert, Texas Jim Jordan, Ohio Ted Poe, Texas Tom Marino, Pennsylvania Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Raúl Labrador, Idaho Doug Collins, Georgia Ron DeSantis, Florida Ken Buck, Colorado John Ratcliffe, Texas Martha Roby, Alabama Matt Gaetz, Florida Mike Johnson, Louisiana Andy Biggs, Arizona John Rutherford, Florida Karen Handel, Georgia Keith Rothfus, Pennsylvania | Jerrold Nadler, New York, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Ted Deutch, Florida Luis Gutiérrez, Illinois Karen Bass, California Cedric Richmond, Louisiana Hakeem Jeffries, New York David Cicilline, Rhode Island Eric Swalwell, California Ted Lieu, California Jamie Raskin, Maryland, Vice Ranking Member Pramila Jayapal, Washington Brad Schneider, Illinois Val Demings, Florida |
Sources: H.Res. 6 (Chair), H.Res. 45 (D), H.Res. 51 (R) and H.Res. 95 (D)

### 114th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Bob Goodlatte, Virginia, Chair (113th) Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin Lamar S. Smith, Texas Steve Chabot, Ohio Darrell Issa, California Randy Forbes, Virginia Steve King, Iowa Trent Franks, Arizona Louie Gohmert, Texas Jim Jordan, Ohio Ted Poe, Texas Jason Chaffetz, Utah Tom Marino, Pennsylvania Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Mark Amodei, Nevada Raúl Labrador, Idaho Blake Farenthold, Texas Doug Collins, Georgia Ron DeSantis, Florida Mimi Walters, California Ken Buck, Colorado John Ratcliffe, Texas Dave Trott, Michigan Mike Bishop, Michigan | John Conyers, Michigan, Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler, New York Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico Judy Chu, California Ted Deutch, Florida Luis Gutierrez, Illinois Karen Bass, California Cedric Richmond, Louisiana Suzan DelBene, Washington Hakeem Jeffries, New York David Cicilline, Rhode Island Scott Peters, California |
Sources:
* Resolutions electing Republican members: H.Res. 6 (Chairs) and H.Res. 17 (R)
* Resolutions electing Democratic members: H.Res. 7 (D) and H.Res. 22 (D)

### 112th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| Lamar S. Smith, Texas, Chair Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin Howard Coble, North Carolina Elton Gallegly, California Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Dan Lungren, California Steve Chabot, Ohio Darrell Issa, California Mike Pence, Indiana Randy Forbes, Virginia Steve King, Iowa Trent Franks, Arizona Louie Gohmert, Texas Jim Jordan, Ohio Ted Poe, Texas Jason Chaffetz, Utah Timothy Griffin, Arkansas Tom Marino, Pennsylvania Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Dennis A. Ross, Florida Sandy Adams, Florida Ben Quayle, Arizona Mark Amodei, Nevada | John Conyers, Michigan, Ranking Member Howard Berman, California Jerrold Nadler, New York Bobby Scott, Virginia Mel Watt, North Carolina Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Maxine Waters, California Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico Michael Quigley, Illinois Judy Chu, California Ted Deutch, Florida Linda Sánchez, California Jared Polis, Colorado |
Sources:
* Resolutions electing Republican members: H.Res. 6 (Chair), H.Res. 37 (Members)
* Resolutions electing Democratic members H.Res. 7 (Ranking member), H.Res. 39 (Members)

### 111th Congress

| Majority | Minority |
| John Conyers, Michigan, Chair Howard Berman, California Rick Boucher, Virginia Jerrold Nadler, New York Bobby Scott, Virginia Mel Watt, North Carolina Zoe Lofgren, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Maxine Waters, California Bill Delahunt, Massachusetts Steve Cohen, Tennessee Hank Johnson, Georgia Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico Michael Quigley, Illinois Judy Chu, California Ted Deutch, Florida Luis Gutierrez, Illinois Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Charles Gonzalez, Texas Anthony Weiner, New York Adam Schiff, California Linda Sánchez, California Daniel Maffei, New York Jared Polis, Colorado | Lamar S. Smith, Texas, Ranking Member Jim Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin Howard Coble, North Carolina Elton Gallegly, California Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Dan Lungren, California Darrell Issa, California Randy Forbes, Virginia Steve King, Iowa Trent Franks, Arizona Louie Gohmert, Texas Jason Chaffetz, Utah Tom Rooney, Florida Gregg Harper, Mississippi |

## Task forces
### Antitrust Task Force: 108th Congress

Chairman: Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI); Ranking member: John Conyers (D-MI)
The Antitrust Task Force during the 108th Congress existed from March 26, 2003, to September 26, 2003. All Judiciary Committee Members also served as members of the Task Force, and conducted hearings and investigations into consolidation of the Bell Telephone Companies.

### Antitrust Task Force: 110th Congress

Chairman: John Conyers (D-MI); Ranking member: Steve Chabot (R-OH)
The Antitrust Task Force during the 110th Congress was established February 28, 2007, as a temporary subcommittee to examine the pending merger between XM Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. The task force operated like any other subcommittee, except that it only has a six-month term. House Rules limit each full committee to just five subcommittees, and any task force, special subcommittee, or other subunit of a standing committee that is established for a cumulative period longer than six months in a Congress counts against that total. A longer term for the task force would cause the Judiciary Committee to exceed this limit.

### Judicial Impeachment: 110th and 111th Congresses

Chairman: Adam Schiff (D-CA) Ranking member: Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)
Established in September 2008, the Judicial Task force on Judicial Impeachment was to look into charges against District Judge Thomas Porteous. The investigation was not completed by the end of the 110th Congress, and it was reestablished after the 111th Congress convened in January 2009. The responsibilities of the Task Force were expanded to include the case of Judge Samuel B. Kent, leading to hearings and his subsequent impeachment by the full House of Representatives. The Task force finally voted to impeach Porteous on January 21, 2010.

## Projects

* Administrative Law, Process and Procedure Project (2005–2006)

## Hearings

* The Use and Misuse of Presidential Clemency Power for Executive Branch Officials (hearing) (2007)
* Equal Justice for Our Military Act of 2009, HR 569 (111th Congress) (2009). Congress holds a hearing to consider granting members of the U.S. Armed Forces access to the Supreme Court of the United States.