Retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter Passes Away at 85

Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter passed away on Thursday at his New Hampshire residence, as announced by the court. He was 85 years old. Souter was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1990 by then-President George H.W. Bush. Upon his retirement in 2009, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, appointed by President Barack Obama, succeeded him. Souter often frustrated Bush and Republican ranks by siding with liberal justices in various decisions.

Chief Justice John Roberts, in a statement, noted how Souter “brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service.” Souter’s tenure on the Supreme Court was marked by several important rulings, including his majority vote in the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey case, which upheld the federal constitutional right to abortion. Post-retirement, Souter served over a decade as a judge on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.