Supreme Court Justice David Souter to Retire

By Liliana Segura, AlterNet
Posted on May 1, 2009, Printed on May 27, 2012
http://www.alternet.org/story/139297/supreme_court_justice_david_souter_to_retire

Multiple news outlets are reporting that Supreme Court Judge David Souter will retire from the bench at the end of his term.

NPR reports:

NPR has learned that Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning to retire at the end of the current court term.

The vacancy will give President Obama his first chance to name a member of the high court and begin to shape its future direction.

At 69, Souter is nowhere near the oldest member of the court. In fact, he is in the younger half of the court's age range, with five justices older and just three younger. So far as anyone knows, he is in good health. But he has made clear to friends for some time that he wanted to leave Washington, a city he has never liked, and return to his native New Hampshire. Now, according to reliable sources, he has decided to take the plunge and has informed the White House of his decision.

Liliana Segura is a staff writer and editor of AlterNet's Rights and Liberties and War on Iraq Special Coverage.

© 2012 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved.
View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/story/139297/