David Souter, retired US Supreme Court justice known for liberal rulings, dies at 85

David H Souter, a retired US Supreme Court justice known for his unexpectedly liberal rulings, died at the age of 85 on Thursday. Appointed by Republican president, Souter surprised many by becoming a defender of abortion rights and civil liberties. After nearly two decades on the bench, he retired in 2009 and lived a low-profile life in New Hampshire.

Who was David Soute

David Hackett Souter served as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1990 to 2009. He was nominated by Republican president George HW Bush, but unlike what many conservatives expected, he often sided with the liberal bloc on key issues. His most recognised opinions upheld abortion rights and supported the separation of church and state.

Born in Massachusetts and raised in New Hampshire, Souter studied at Harvard and later at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar. After working in the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office and briefly in private law, he became a state judge. In 1990, he had served just four months as a federal appellate judge before his surprise nomination to the highest court.

Though initially seen as a conservative pick, Souter’s rulings reaffirmed abortion rights, frustrating many on the political right.

He lived quietly in New Hampshire until his death on Thursday.