New Supreme Court Fellows Set to Begin Term

Four new U.S. Supreme Court Fellows are set to begin their 2026-2027 fellowships in September.

Micayla Bitz joins the program from the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, where she clerked for Judge Patrick J. Schiltz. She is assigned to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, which establishes sentencing policies and practices for the federal courts.

Connor Fraley joins the program from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, where he clerked for Judge Allison Jones Rushing. He is assigned to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, an agency within the judicial branch that provides a broad range of management and administrative support to the federal courts.

Conner Robinson joins the program from the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, where he clerked for Judge Julie A. Robinson. He is assigned to the Supreme Court’s Office of the Counselor to the Chief Justice.

Owen B. Smitherman joins the program from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where he clerked for Judge Neomi Rao. He previously clerked for Judge Andrew S. Oldham of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He is assigned to the Federal Judicial Center, which is the education and research agency for the federal courts.

The Supreme Court Fellows Program, established by the late Chief Justice Warren E. Burger in 1973, provides participants the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the federal Judiciary. Fellows work alongside top officials in the judicial branch on projects that further the goals of the Judiciary.

In the words of Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., the program offers “a unique opportunity for exceptional individuals to contribute to the administration of justice at the national level.”

The fellows are selected by a commission composed of nine members selected by the Chief Justice. Find additional background information on each of the 2026-2027 Supreme Court Fellows and the program’s history.