 Associate Justice James F. Byrnes , whose short tenure lasted from June 1941 to October 1942 , was the last justice without a law degree to be appointed ; Stanley Forman Reed , who served on the Court from 1938 to 1957 , was the last sitting justice from such a background . In total , of the 112 justices appointed to the Court , 47 have had law degrees , an additional 18 attended some law school but did not receive a degree , and 47 received their legal education without any law school attendance . 
