While the oath-taking dates back to the First Congress in 1789, the current oath is a product of the

1860s, drafted by Ciil War-era !e!bers of Congress intent on ensnaring traitors"

FEDERAL JUDICIARY OATHS
In the United States, federal judges are reuired t! ta"e t#! !aths$ The first !ath is this%
I, &na'e(, d! s!le'nl) s#ear &!r affir'( that I #ill ad'inister justi*e #ith!ut res+e*t t! +ers!ns, and
d! eual right t! the +!!r and t! the ri*h, and that I #ill faithfull) and i'+artiall) dis*harge and
+erf!r' all the duties in*u',ent u+!n 'e as &!ffi*e( under the C!nstituti!n and la#s !f the United
States$ -S! hel+ 'e .!d$/
The se*!nd is the sa'e !ath that 'e',ers !f C!ngress ta"e%
I, &na'e(, d! s!le'nl) s#ear &!r affir'( that I #ill su++!rt and defend the C!nstituti!n !f the United
States against all ene'ies, f!reign and d!'esti*0 that I #ill ,ear true faith and allegian*e t! the sa'e0
that I ta"e this !,ligati!n freel), #ith!ut an) 'ental reser1ati!n !r +ur+!se !f e1asi!n0 and that I #ill
#ell and faithfull) dis*harge the duties !f the !ffi*e !n #hi*h I a' a,!ut t! enter$ -S! hel+ 'e .!d$/
CALIFOR2IA CO2STITUTIO2
ARTICLE 34 5ISCELLA2EOUS SU6JECTS
SECTIO2 7
5e',ers !f the Legislature, and all +u,li* !ffi*ers and e'+l!)ees, e8e*uti1e, legislati1e, and judi*ial,
e8*e+t su*h inferi!r !ffi*ers and e'+l!)ees as 'a) ,e ,) la# e8e'+ted, shall, ,ef!re the) enter u+!n
the duties !f their res+e*ti1e !ffi*es, ta"e and su,s*ri,e the f!ll!#ing !ath !r affir'ati!n%
9I, :::::::, d! s!le'nl) s#ear &!r affir'( that I #ill su++!rt and defend the C!nstituti!n !f the
United States and the C!nstituti!n !f the State !f Calif!rnia against all ene'ies, f!reign and d!'esti*0
that I #ill ,ear true faith and allegian*e t! the C!nstituti!n !f the United States and the C!nstituti!n !f
the State !f Calif!rnia0 that I ta"e this !,ligati!n freel), #ith!ut an) 'ental reser1ati!n !r +ur+!se !f
e1asi!n0 and that I #ill #ell and faithfull) dis*harge the duties u+!n #hi*h I a' a,!ut t! enter$
9And I d! further s#ear &!r affir'( that I d! n!t ad1!*ate, n!r a' I a 'e',er !f an) +art) !r
!rgani;ati!n, +!liti*al !r !ther< #ise, that n!# ad1!*ates the !1erthr!# !f the .!1ern'ent !f the
United States !r !f the State !f Calif!rnia ,) f!r*e !r 1i!len*e !r !ther unla#ful 'eans0 that #ithin the
fi1e )ears i''ediatel) +re*eding the ta"ing !f this !ath &!r affir'ati!n( I ha1e n!t ,een a 'e',er !f
an) +art) !r !rgani;ati!n, +!liti*al !r !ther<#ise, that ad1!*ated the !1erthr!# !f the .!1ern'ent !f
the United States !r !f the State !f Calif!rnia ,) f!r*e !r 1i!len*e !r !ther unla#ful 'eans e8*e+t as
f!ll!#s% ::::::::::::$
&If n! affiliati!ns, #rite in the #!rds 92! E8*e+ti!ns9( and that during su*h ti'e as I h!ld the !ffi*e !f
::::::::::::::::::::::: I #ill n!t ad1!*ate n!r ,e*!'e &na'e !f !ffi*e( a 'e',er !f an) +art) !r
!rgani;ati!n, +!liti*al !r !ther#ise, that ad1!*ates the !1erthr!# !f the .!1ern'ent !f the United
States !r !f the State !f Calif!rnia ,) f!r*e !r 1i!len*e !r !ther unla#ful 'eans$9
And n! !ther !ath, de*larati!n, !r test, shall ,e reuired as a ualifi*ati!n f!r an) +u,li* !ffi*e !r
e'+l!)'ent$
9=u,li* !ffi*er and e'+l!)ee9 in*ludes e1er) !ffi*er and e'+l!)ee !f the State, in*luding the
Uni1ersit) !f Calif!rnia, e1er) *!unt), *it), *it) and *!unt), distri*t, and auth!rit), in*luding an)
de+art'ent, di1isi!n, ,ureau, ,!ard, *!''issi!n, agen*), !r instru'entalit) !f an) !f the f!reg!ing$