What You Don't Know About Amy Coney Barrett's Husband

Following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in September 2020, President Donald Trump tapped Amy Coney Barrett as her replacement. The conservative judge, based in Indiana, is already making headlines thanks to her stark differences from Ginsburg, namely her views on abortion. But while we know a fair amount about Amy, her career history, and her opinions, we don't know quite as much about her husband, Jesse Barrett. Here's what we do know, though. Like his wife, Jesse also has a history in the law field. He and Amy both went to the University of Notre Dame, and Jesse also graduated from the Notre Dame Law School in 1999, according to his bio on the school's website. While in school, he was the editor-in-chief of the Notre Dame Law Review. After graduation, Jesse practiced law at a couple different places. He practiced civil and criminal litigation and also served as the Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Indiana for more than a decade. While in that post, Jesse prosecuted white-collar criminal cases, including commercial fraud, corruption, and tax violations. After leaving, he went into private practice, currently at SouthBank Legal. He's also an adjunct professor at Notre Dame Law School and coaches high school mock trial events. Jesse and Amy Coney Barrett live in South Bend, Indiana with their seven children, all of whom are under the age of 20, which would reportedly make Barrett the first Supreme Court Justice who is the mother to school-age children. Two are adopted from Haiti, and one has special needs. The family is also Catholic and part of a religious group called People of Praise. According to the Times, quote, "The group teaches that husbands are the heads of their wives and should take authority over the family." Despite Jesse's impressive law résumé and his wife's public-facing career, the family has largely stayed under the radar until President Donald Trump's decision to nominate Amy for Supreme Court. Amy spoke of Jesse during her nomination press conference on September 26th, 2020, saying, "At the start of our marriage, I imagined we would run our household as partners. As it has turned out, Jesse does far more than his share of the work." She also called him a "superb and generous husband," and said that for 21 years, he has checked in with her every day to ask about what he can do to make her life a little easier. Jesse Barrett's LinkedIn page boasts an impressive career history, with experience dating back to 1999, when he began as a Judicial Law Clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals in Baltimore, Maryland. Despite his own notable career, Jesse had high praise for his wife in 2018, when Notre Dame Law School hosted her investiture as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The event was one of praise for Amy, with Jesse noting that she was the first woman from Indiana to serve as a judge at that level. His speech earned a standing ovation after he spoke about her empathy and her gift for personal relationships. He cited her growing career, their many relocations, and their seven children. He said, "But there is one thing that hasn't changed — it is humbling to be married to Amy Barrett. You can't outwork Amy. I've also learned you can't outfriend Amy." Jesse hasn't just given high praise to Amy. He's also said wonderful things about his children. The oldest, Emma, was described by the couple as the first apple of their eye, according to The Sun. Jesse deemed his adopted daughter Vivian to be their "miracle," and called their daughter Tess, who's the same age as Vivian, one of the most compassionate and determined people that he knows. The Barretts' son, John Peter, like Vivian, was also born in Haiti and joined the family at age 3. As for the other two kids, Jesse described 8-year old Liam as a typically curious child, and 6-year-old Juliet as spunky. Then there's the youngest, Benjamin, who Jesse noted is the other childrens' favorite sibling. When Donald Trump nominated Amy to the Supreme Court on September 26th, 2020, she joked about her family size, noting that working in a group of nine judges would be an easy fit. Watch the video to learn What You Don't Know About Amy Coney Barrett's Husband! #AmyConeyBarrett #JesseBarrett