Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter Passes Away

9 May 2025, 10:11 published

Portrait de David Hackett Souter.

Jeffrey Markowitz | Sygma | Getty Images

Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter passed away on Thursday at his residence in New Hampshire, according to a statement from the Supreme Court. He was 85 years old.

Souter was appointed to the nation’s highest court in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, a fellow Republican, and he served until his retirement in 2009.

Planned Parenthood v. Casey, where Souter joined the majority in reaffirming the federal constitutional right to abortion established by Roe v. Wade. This right was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court in its 2022 ruling in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

Sonia Sotomayor.

Federal Appeals Court Judge David Souter of New Hampshire speaks to reporters at the White House 7/23. Souter was nominated by President Bush to replace Justice William Brennan on the Supreme Court.

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U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the First Circuit for over a decade, hearing cases from New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico.

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice David Souter (L) leaves after addressing the Sandra Day O’Connor Project on The State of The Judiciary’s forum “Striking the Balance: Fair and Independent Courts in a New Era” at Georgetown University Law Center May 20, 2009 in Washington, DC.

Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty Images

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