Financial disclosures released Friday revealed that among the perks of being a Supreme Court justice are free Beyoncé tickets and a major book deal.
The filings of eight of the Supreme Court’s nine justices list the outside income they earned last year, as well as any gifts they received and investments, all of which are required to be disclosed annually.
Four justices — Brett Kavanaugh, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Neil Gorsuch and Sonia Sotomayor — reported earning about $1.6 million in 2023 from book deals and royalties.
The largest amount came from Jackson, President Biden’s most recent appointee, who received a reported $893,750 advance from Penguin Random House for her upcoming autobiography, “Lovely One.”
Kavanaugh revealed that he had earned $340,000 in royalties from his unpublished book. “Legal Memoirs”
Gorsuch reported receiving $250,000 in royalties from HarperCollins Publishers, while Sotomayor reported receiving nearly $87,000 in book-related income from Penguin Random House.
The disclosures also require justices to itemize gifts they received while in office.
Jackson reported receiving four concert tickets, valued at $3,700, from Grammy Award-winning singer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter.
She also said the Supreme Court bench was gifted $12,500 worth of art.
Justice Clarence Thomas, who previously had not disclosed a trip he took with Republican billionaire donor Harlan Crow, noted that in 2023 he received two photo albums worth $2,000 from Terrence and Barbara Giroux.
Terence Giroux is executive director of the Horatio Alger Association, a nonprofit that provides college scholarships to low-income students.
Justices also had to report any other income they received in addition to their Supreme Court salary.
Sotomayor reported receiving $1,879 from Fred Rogers Productions for lending her voice to the PBS children’s animated series “Alma’s Way.” She also disclosed that she owns a rental property in Miami and will earn between $5,001 and $15,000 in 2023.
Justice Elena Kagan revealed that she made between $15,001 and $50,000 last year renting out parking spaces in Washington, D.C.
Some judges also reported receiving modest salaries from teaching positions at law schools.
Gorsuch made $29,798 for his position at George Mason University, Kavanaugh made $25,000 from Notre Dame Law School, and Justice Amy Coney Barrett also received $14,947 from Notre Dame.
The eight justices receive an annual salary of $298,500 for their service on the bench. Chief Justice John Roberts receives a salary of $312,200 for his service.
Justice Samuel Alito did not file discovery documents on Friday and received a 90-day adjournment.
