History / Offices

Solicitor General

30 people have held this office since Oct 1, 1870. Now: D. John Sauer.

Holders
30
13 R · 10 D · 7 U
Longest tenure
35 years
William Howard Taft
Current
21 months
D. John Sauer, since Jan 1, 2025
history/office/solicitor-generalEvery holder, newest first
+30
18801900192019401960198020002020Benjamin Helm Bristow · 1870-10-01 – 1872-11-12 · RepublicanWilliam Howard Taft · 1890-02-01 – 1925-06-04 · RepublicanWilliam D. Mitchell · 1925-06-04 – 1929-03-04 · RepublicanCharles Evans Hughes Jr. · 1929-05-27 – 1930-04-16 · RepublicanStanley Forman Reed · 1935-04-01 – 1938-01-27 · DemocratRobert H. Jackson · 1938-03-01 – 1940-01-18 · DemocratFrancis Biddle · 1940-01-22 – 1941-08-25 · DemocratJ. Howard McGrath · 1945-01-01 – 1946-01-01 · DemocratPhilip Perlman · 1947-01-01 – 1952-01-01 · DemocratArchibald Cox · 1961-01-01 – 1965-07-01 · DemocratThurgood Marshall · 1965-08-01 – 1967-08-01 · DemocratRobert Bork · 1973-03-21 – 1977-01-20 · RepublicanRex E. Lee · 1981-08-01 – 1985-10-01 · RepublicanKen Starr · 1989-05-26 – 1993-01-20 · RepublicanBarbara D. Underwood · 2001-01-20 – 2001-06-13 · DemocratPaul Clement · 2004-07-13 – 2008-06-02 · RepublicanGregory G. Garre · 2008-06-02 – 2009-01-20 · RepublicanEdwin Kneedler · 2009-01-20 – 2009-03-20Elena Kagan · 2009-03-20 – 2010-05-17Neal Katyal · 2010-05-17 – 2011-06-09 · DemocratDonald Verrilli Jr. · 2011-06-09 – 2016-06-25 · DemocratIan Heath Gershengorn · 2016-06-25 – 2017-01-20Noel Francisco · 2017-01-20 – 2020-07-03 · RepublicanJeff Wall · 2020-07-03 – 2021-01-20Elizabeth Barchas Prelogar · 2021-01-20 – 2021-08-11D. John Sauer · 2025-01-01 – presentSamuel F. Phillips · 1872-01-01 – 1890-02-01 · RepublicanCharles Fried · 1985-06-01 – 1989-01-20 · RepublicanTheodore Olson · 2001-06-11 – 2004-07-10 · RepublicanJeff Wall · 2017-03-10 – 2017-09-19
D. John Sauer
Jan 1, 2025 – present · 21 months · appointed by Joe Biden
Elizabeth Barchas Prelogar (acting)
Jan 20, 2021 – Aug 11, 2021 · 7 months
Jeff Wall (acting)
Jul 3, 2020 – Jan 20, 2021 · 7 months
Jeff Wall
Mar 10, 2017 – Sep 19, 2017 · 6 months · appointed by Donald Trump
Noel Francisco R
Jan 20, 2017 – Jul 3, 2020 · 3.4 years · appointed by Donald Trump
Ian Heath Gershengorn (acting)
Jun 25, 2016 – Jan 20, 2017 · 7 months
Donald Verrilli Jr. D
Jun 9, 2011 – Jun 25, 2016 · 5 years · appointed by Barack Obama
Neal Katyal D (acting)
May 17, 2010 – Jun 9, 2011 · 13 months
Elena Kagan
Mar 20, 2009 – May 17, 2010 · 14 months · appointed by Barack Obama
Edwin Kneedler (acting)
Jan 20, 2009 – Mar 20, 2009 · 2 months
Gregory G. Garre R
Jun 2, 2008 – Jan 20, 2009 · 8 months · appointed by George W. Bush
Paul Clement R
Jul 13, 2004 – Jun 2, 2008 · 3.9 years · appointed by George W. Bush
Theodore Olson R
Jun 11, 2001 – Jul 10, 2004 · 3.1 years · appointed by George W. Bush
Barbara D. Underwood D (acting)
Jan 20, 2001 – Jun 13, 2001 · 5 months
Ken Starr R
May 26, 1989 – Jan 20, 1993 · 3.7 years · appointed by George H. W. Bush
Charles Fried R
Jun 1, 1985 – Jan 20, 1989 · 3.6 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan
Rex E. Lee R
Aug 1, 1981 – Oct 1, 1985 · 4.2 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan
Robert Bork R
Mar 21, 1973 – Jan 20, 1977 · 3.8 years · appointed by Richard Nixon
Thurgood Marshall D
Aug 1, 1965 – Aug 1, 1967 · 2 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson
Archibald Cox D
Jan 1, 1961 – Jul 1, 1965 · 4.5 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Philip Perlman D
Jan 1, 1947 – Jan 1, 1952 · 5 years · appointed by Harry S. Truman
J. Howard McGrath D
Jan 1, 1945 – Jan 1, 1946 · 12 months · appointed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Francis Biddle D
Jan 22, 1940 – Aug 25, 1941 · 19 months · appointed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Robert H. Jackson D
Mar 1, 1938 – Jan 18, 1940 · 23 months · appointed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Stanley Forman Reed D
Apr 1, 1935 – Jan 27, 1938 · 2.8 years · appointed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Charles Evans Hughes Jr. R
May 27, 1929 – Apr 16, 1930 · 11 months · appointed by Herbert Hoover
William D. Mitchell R
Jun 4, 1925 – Mar 4, 1929 · 3.7 years · appointed by Calvin Coolidge
William Howard Taft R
Feb 1, 1890 – Jun 4, 1925 · 35 years · appointed by Benjamin Harrison
Samuel F. Phillips R
Jan 1, 1872 – Feb 1, 1890 · 18 years · appointed by Ulysses S. Grant
Benjamin Helm Bristow R
Oct 1, 1870 – Nov 12, 1872 · 2.1 years · appointed by Ulysses S. Grant

Dates are from Wikidata, which has gaps for some historical offices. Consecutive terms of one person are merged.