Supreme Court financial disclosures reveal how their books add to their income
Supreme Court Financial Disclosures Reveal New Income Sources
Supreme Court financial disclosures reveal how their - Supreme Court financial disclosures reveal a growing trend among justices as they supplement their judicial salaries with diverse revenue streams. While the nation's highest court delivered a series of significant legal decisions last week, the justices simultaneously released their yearly financial disclosure statements. Among the sitting justices, Samuel Alito stood alone in requesting additional time for his filing—a pattern he has maintained for fifteen consecutive years. Though these reports do not capture every facet of the justices' financial lives, they illuminate various revenue sources including concert attendance, academic positions, and even youth athletic coaching.
Book Deals Generate Substantial Revenue
Beyond their statutory salaries, publishing contracts represent a major income component for several justices. Ketanji Brown Jackson emerged as the top earner, collecting over $1.1 million in the past year alone, bringing her cumulative total to approximately $4 million since releasing her memoir, Lovely One, in 2024.
Other justices who reported book-related earnings include Sonia Sotomayor, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, and retired justice Anthony Kennedy. The financial figures varied considerably: Barrett earned $849,000, Gorsuch received $300,000, and Sotomayor brought in $88,000 from her publications, which encompass both her 2013 autobiography and five children's titles.
Clarence Thomas, who previously garnered $1.5 million for his 2007 memoir, recorded no publisher payments during the most recent reporting period. Similarly, Brett Kavanaugh—one of thirteen co-authors on a 2016 legal treatise—received no payments last year despite reportedly working on his own memoir. Alito has a forthcoming book release scheduled for autumn, but because his extended financial report remains pending, no payment data exists for his 2025 earnings from this work.
Only two sitting justices have yet to publish books: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Elena Kagan.
Academic Teaching and Other Activities
Law school teaching positions provided additional income for multiple justices. Roberts collected earnings from New England Law in Boston, while Gorsuch received compensation from George Mason University in Virginia. Thomas taught at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and both Barrett and Kavanaugh instructed at Notre Dame Law School. Barrett, a Notre Dame graduate, began her teaching career there twenty-three years ago, and Kavanaugh maintains family ties to the institution.
The disclosures also documented gifts, travel, meals, and accommodations received during 2025. Jackson and Sotomayor were the sole justices to report receiving gifts. Jackson received a painting valued at $2,500 for her chambers, and Sotomayor traveled to Kansas City to attend the premiere of a musical adaptation of her children's book, Just Ask.
Additionally, Sotomayor reported receiving complimentary tickets worth $4,333 during a private journey to Puerto Rico. These tickets came from the record label representing Bad Bunny, whose extensive concert series in San Juan coincided with her visit. Sotomayor's parents originated from Puerto Rico, and she has visited the island frequently throughout her life.
Travel Reimbursements and Off-Bench Pursuits
The justices disclosed considerable travel reimbursements throughout 2025. Thomas received coverage for travel, meals, and lodging from the Hoover Institution for delivering a speech at an event honoring conservative economist Thomas Sowell. Sotomayor, Gorsuch, Barrett, and Jackson all received reimbursements for international travel related to speeches, book discussions, or teaching engagements. Roberts distinguished himself as the only sitting justice who reported neither gifts nor travel reimbursements.
Annual filings also revealed activities outside judicial duties. Kavanaugh serves as a coach for several D.C.-area Catholic Youth Organization girls' basketball teams in addition to his Supreme Court responsibilities. Known as "Coach K" to his players, he authored the court's June ruling permitting states to prohibit transgender women and girls from participating in women's and girls' sports teams.
Justices' salaries are set by legislation. The chief justice receives $320,700 annually, while the eight associate justices each earn $306,600. Though substantial, these amounts pale compared to what justices—and even their law clerks—might earn upon transitioning to major law firms.
Roberts was the only court member to report holdings in individual stocks. Alito previously owned individual stock shares, though his report remains due in three months when his extension expires. Generally, justices favor index funds, mutual funds, and similar investment vehicles to generate returns while minimizing potential conflicts of interest.