Souter, David H. (1939-)

When President George H. W. Bush nominated David H. Souter for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, Souter's views on “hot button” issues were so unknown that the media labeled him the “stealth candidate.” Unlike prior nominees such as Robert Bork, Souter had not made public pronouncements or written articles advancing controversial positions. Although he had been a lower court judge for years, Souter's opinions gave few clues as to how he would rule once he was sitting on the bench.

During his tenure on the Supreme Court, Souter has often defied prediction and continued to be a crucial swing vote. In his early days, Souter sided with Chief Justice Rehnquist in over 80% of cases. However, in recent years he has more closely aligned ...