Former Supreme Court Associate Justice David Souter, a Republican who sided with his liberal colleagues in many high-profile cases during his 19-year tenure, has died.
He was 85.
Souter died peacefully on May 8 at home in New Hampshire, according to a statement from the court.
Chief Justice John Roberts said Souter brought "uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service."
"He will be greatly missed," Roberts said in a statement.
A former New Hampshire attorney general, Souter’s background as a New England moderate put him at odds with the more conservative Republican Party forged by Ronald Reagan’s presidency. That perspective often left Souter in dissent on a conservative high court led by former Chief William Rehnquist.