Souter was appointed to the court in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush after just a few months as a federal appeals court judge, but years of experience as a prosecutor, attorney general, trial judge and state Supreme Court justice in New Hampshire.
For insight on Justice Souter's legacy and what his exit means for the court, the Online NewsHour spoke with Jeffrey Rosen, a professor of law at George Washington University and the legal affairs editor of the New Republic. He's the author of "Supreme Court: The Personalities and Rivalries That Defined America."
Listen to Rosen's insights on Souter's role on the high court, his handling of cases like Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Bush v. Gore, and his move to the court's more liberal bloc:
Read "Poetic Justice: The Education of David Souter," a 1993 article by Rosen reflecting on Souter's future on the high court here. Rosen also penned a New York Times op-ed piece on Souter's retirement for its May 2 edition.
