United Liberty

Supreme Court Justice David Souter has announced his retirement:

Souter is expected to remain on the bench until a successor has been chosen and confirmed, which may or may not be accomplished before the court reconvenes in October.

At 69, Souter is nowhere near the oldest member of the court, but he has made clear to friends for some time now that he wanted to leave Washington, a city he has never liked, and return to his native New Hampshire.

Now, according to reliable sources, he has decided to take the plunge and has informed the White House of his decision.

Souter’s retirement would give President Obama his first appointment to the high court, and most observers expect that he will appoint a woman.

Souter, appointed by President George H.W. Bush, is one of the four liberals on the court. Obama may wind up having a couple more picks if the health of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (who recently underwent treatment for pancreatic cancer) or John Paul Stevens (who is 89 years old) deteriorates.

Leah Ward Sears, Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, has been one of the names tossed around as a possible appointment by President Barack Obama.