OAN Staff Abril Elfi
9:58 AM – Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter has died at 85-years-old. On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that he had passed away the day before on Thursday, at his home in New Hampshire.
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Souter, who was appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, was initially expected to be a conservative justice. However, over his tenure, he became known for aligning with the Court’s liberal wing on many key issues — similar to current Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Chief Justice John Roberts.
On Friday, the Supreme Court announced Souter’s passing.
“Justice Souter was appointed to the Court by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, and retired in 2009, after serving more than 19 years on the Court,” it said in a statement.
When he retired in 2009, former Democrat President Barack Obama appointed liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor — filling his seat.
According to SCOTUS, Souter was born in Melrose, Massachusetts, on September 17, 1939. He graduated from Harvard College and held degrees from Oxford University and Harvard Law School. He then rose up the ranks to become attorney general of New Hampshire in 1976.
“In 1978, he was named an Associate Justice of the Superior Court of New Hampshire, and was appointed to the Supreme Court of New Hampshire as an Associate Justice in 1983. He became a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on May 25, 1990,” the Supreme Court said.
“In addition to hearing cases on the First Circuit, Justice Souter participated in civics education curriculum reform efforts in New Hampshire during his retirement,” they continued.
Chief Justice John Roberts also released a statement regarding Souter’s passing.
“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. After retiring to his beloved New Hampshire in 2009, he continued to render significant service to our branch by sitting regularly on the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit for more than a decade. He will be greatly missed,” Roberts said.
According to the Associated Press, Souter was described as a “reliably liberal vote on abortion, church-state relations, freedom of expression and the accessibility of federal courts.”
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