Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter dies at 85
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter attends a news conference at the Supreme Court to urge better pay for federal judges in May 2003 in Washington, D.C. Photo: David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images
Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter died in his New Hampshire home on Thursday at 85, the Supreme Court said on Friday.
The big picture: Souter, appointed by former President George H.W. Bush in 1990, served until 2009. Though he was a appointed by a Republican, he often sided with the court's liberal bloc.
- "Justice David Souter served our Court with great distinction for nearly twenty years. He brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service," Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement.
- His retirement gave then-President Obama his first opportunity to fill a vacancy on the high court, which was filled by Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Flashback: When nominating him, Bush said Souter was "a remarkable judge of keen intellect and the highest ability, one whose scholarly commitment to the law and whose wealth of experience mark him of first rank."
Background: Souter graduated from Harvard in 1961, majoring in philosophy.
- In 1963, he received a degree from Magdalen College at the University of Oxford, which he attended as a Rhodes Scholar. He earned his law degree from Harvard in 1966.
- He became an assistant attorney general of New Hampshire two years after graduating from law school after a brief stint in private practice.
- He later served as New Hampshire's attorney general and on the state's Supreme Court.
When he was confirmed to the Supreme Court, he was "relatively unknown" and "lacked a clear record on controversial issues," according to Justia, a legal resources website.
- "Souter was expected to be a staunch conservative when he was appointed, but this prediction proved inaccurate. Almost from the outset, he took a moderate or even left-leaning stance on several key issues," a biography said.
- He declined to erase the right to abortion by limiting, rather than overturning, Roe v. Wade.
- He would have permitted a recount in the 2000 presidential election to continue, unlike the majority in Bush v. Gor.e.
Editor's note: This story was updated with additional details and background.
