The Volokh Conspiracy
Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent
Remembering Justice Souter
The justices reflect on their former colleague.
As has become traditional, the sitting and retired justices of the Supreme Court have issued statements regarding the death of Justice David Souter. All of the justices participated, including those who did not serve with him on the Court. The statements may be found here.
For those interested in Justice Souter's jurisprudence, beyond what is found in his opinions, here is the commencement speech he delivered at Harvard in 2010.
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Oh, I remember that damned RINO.
One word: Kelo.
And the "Lost Liberty Hotel" to be built in a small NH town.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Liberty_Hotel
I wish they'd done it....
Not my favorite opinion writer in style nor in substance, but no one could argue he was influenced by outside pressures.
He believed everything he wrote, and it all came from him.
Anklebiters and obligate partisans are just showing their asses.
"it all came from him"
His clerks must not have had a lot of work to do if they couldn't even draft his opinions. What did they do, fetch coffee?
"He believed everything he wrote"
So did Roger Taney.
His clerks
Pedantry.
Roger Taney
Taking my "Not my favorite opinion writer in style nor in substance" and repeating it, but in a shitty assholish way.
Someone got out of bed on the wrong side this morning. Assuming you *are* out of bed, that is.
I think his conclusions were correct as a whole, including regarding federalism, religious liberty, and (as Rick Hasen noted) democracy.
His writing style was not as smooth as other justices.
Souter was also ethical and a good human being, which is not a bad thing when looking for a good judge. Good sense of humor.
Kelo was rightly decided, but it's also silly to rest his whole career on that decision. He was wrong about cameras in the courts.
A close personal friend’s father was a State Supreme Court Justice in Vermont. He said Dad referred to Souter as “an odd duck”.
To commemorate his death, the government seized Souter's house and turned it over to the Supreme Court Historical Society for use as a museum.
/sarc
But weare in NH is it? 🙂