Supreme Court Justice David Souter, champion of ordered Liberty, dies at 85

Get the Full StoryFormer Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter, a New Hampshire Republican appointed by President George H.W. Bush, died at the age of 85. The Supreme Court announced his death, marking the end of a life dedicated to the law by a judge known for his thoughtful independence and surprising path on the nation s highest court. Though he was first seen as a conservative pick, Souter became an important voice in the Court s liberal group, leaving behind a complicated but lasting influence on American law. In 2009, at the relatively young age of 69, Souter retired from the Supreme Court. He kept working as a judge on the First Circuit Court of Appeals. He strongly supported civics education, emphasizing the need for the public to understand the Constitution and how government works. He famously avoided modern technology, writing his opinions by hand and driving rather than flying back to New Hampshire. His dedication to simple living stood in sharp contrast to the usual glamour of Washington. Former Supreme Court Justice dead at 85 Photo by Dirck Halstead Getty Images Born in Melrose, Massachusetts, in 1939, Souter grew up mostly in rural New Hampshire. After graduating from Concord High School, where he was named most likely to succeed, he went to Harvard University and later studied as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. He then earned his law degree from Harvard Law School, according to ABC news. Early in his career, he worked in private practice before moving to the New Hampshire Attorney General s office, where he first served as deputy and later took over as Attorney General after his mentor, Warren Rudman, left the role. He later became a judge at the New Hampshire Supreme Court and briefly served at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit before being nominated to the Supreme Court. Souter s nomination in 1990 was seen as a strategic decision by President Bush to avoid a difficult confirmation fight like the one that had blocked Robert Bork s nomination. Since Souter was not well known nationally, he was considered a safe choice. However, his confirmation hearing showed a more thoughtful approach than many expected. While he did not directly state his views on abortion, his answers suggested a flexible view of the Constitution, stressing that judges had a duty to step in when other parts of government failed to address serious social issues. This and his praise for retiring Justice William Brennan worried some conservatives. Still, the Senate confirmed him by a large margin, with a vote of 90 to 9. During his nearly 20 years on the Supreme Court, Souter s approach to the law was shaped by his belief in ordered liberty, the idea that constitutional interpretation should adapt as society changes. Though this idea had conservative roots, it often led him to side with the Court s liberal justices in major cases. His role in Planned Parenthood v. Casey 1992 is a key example, as found by NY Times. He joined Justices Sandra Day O Connor and Anthony Kennedy in writing an important opinion that kept the central protections of Roe v. Wade while allowing some new restrictions, arguing that the Court s credibility depended on respecting past rulings. This decision remained in place for 30 years before being overturned in Dobbs v. Jackson Women s Health Organization. On the other hand, Souter s involvement in Bush v. Gore 2000 showed deep divisions in the court. He disagreed with the majority opinion that stopped the Florida recount, which effectively decided the presidential election. Reports say this ruling deeply upset him and even made him think about resigning. He believed the Court s decision, which seemed politically driven, hurt its reputation. Over his career, Souter also wrote important opinions on free speech, religion, and property rights, showing his strong commitment to constitutional principles and often disagreeing with the Court s more conservative rulings. Outside of his legal work, Souter was known for his modest way of life. He never married and stayed closely tied to his New Hampshire roots, avoiding Washington s social scene in favor of quiet nights reading books instead of attending fancy parties.

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