Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett spoke at the Reagan Library on September 9, 2025, in Simi Valley, California. She discussed and signed copies of her new book, Listening to the Law: Reflections on the Court and Constitution.
Recently, the Supreme Court released their annual financial reports, while passing significant legal decisions. Justice Samuel Alito requested an extension for his disclosure, as he has done for 15 years. These disclosures offer insights into the justices’ extra sources of income, including book deals and guest teaching roles. They do not, however, fully account for the justices’ total income and wealth.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson earned over $1.1 million from her memoir Lovely One, totaling about $4 million since its publication in 2024. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, and retired Justice Anthony Kennedy also reported book earnings. Barrett earned $849,000, Gorsuch $300,000, and Sotomayor $88,000 from her various books, including her 2013 autobiography and children’s literature.
Justice Clarence Thomas, who previously earned $1.5 million for his 2007 memoir, reported no publisher payments in the past year. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, despite being one of 13 co-authors of a 2016 legal treatise, also reported no recent book-related income. While Kavanaugh is said to be working on a memoir, no related payments were reported. Alito is expected to release a book in the fall, but with his report pending, details about his earnings are unavailable. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Elena Kagan remain the only justices not to have authored books.
Several justices also benefit financially from teaching engagements. Roberts reported income from New England Law in Boston, and Gorsuch from George Mason University in Virginia. Thomas taught at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., while Barrett and Kavanaugh were involved with teaching at Notre Dame Law School. Barrett started her teaching career there 23 years ago, and Kavanaugh has family ties to the institution.
The 2025 disclosures also documented gifts, travel, and lodging. Only Justices Jackson and Sotomayor reported gifts. Jackson received a $2,500 chamber painting, and Sotomayor took a trip to Kansas City for a musical based on her children’s book, Just Ask. Furthermore, Sotomayor reported free tickets worth $4,333 for a private trip to Puerto Rico, coinciding with Bad Bunny’s concert series.
Many justices received significant travel reimbursements. Thomas had his travel costs covered by the Hoover Institution for a speech, and justices Sotomayor, Gorsuch, Barrett, and Jackson received reimbursements for international travel related to speaking and teaching engagements. Roberts was the only justice not to report gifts or travel reimbursements.
The filings also highlight the justices’ outside activities. For instance, Kavanaugh, besides his judicial duties, coaches D.C.-area Catholic Youth Organization girls’ basketball teams. He also played a key role in the court’s decision allowing states to ban transgender women and girls from female sports teams.
The justices’ salaries are legally set, with the Chief Justice earning $320,700 annually and associate justices $306,600. This is substantial, but many could potentially earn more in private practice. Only Roberts reported individual stock investments. Alito has previously owned stocks, but his current holdings are unknown until his extended report is submitted. Most justices invest in index and mutual funds to avoid conflicts of interest.
Financial disclosures have limitations. They do not reveal the justices’ overall wealth, specific investment earnings, current home values, or spousal incomes. For Chief Justice Roberts, his spouse’s income probably surpasses his salary.