Posted on 05/02/2009 6:24:37 AM PDT by Zakeet
An Independent Thinker On and Off the Court
Superme Court Justice David Souter may be little known outside his small circle of friends -- he shied away from the Washington scene and prefers to be in his New Hampshire cabin reading books -- but those who know him or work with him say Souter is a funny man who took serious interest in the law and his work.
[Snip]
"When you meet the guy you expect to meet some silent Cal Coolidge type of New Englander who talks very little and whatever else goes with that stereotype," said Meir Feder, one of Souter's clerks from the 1990 term and a partner at New York-based Jones Day. "Although he's someone who doesn't like to spend a lot of time out in high society, he is a really warm and engaging person, and in fact quite a talented story teller and sort of off-the-cuff speaker."
His clerks remember him as someone one who took their ideas seriously and did not impose his higher stature on those below him.
"I was not expecting him to be quite as warm and charming as he turned out to be," said Kermit Roosevelt, who clerked for Souter in 1999 and 2000, and is now a professor at University of Pennsylvania's law school. "His persona was very laid back, unpretentious. You could see this in the discussions he had with the clerks about the cases. He was interested in hearing what we had to say and didn't give us any sense of hierarchy."
Souter's tenure on the court was marked by a willingness to vote outside political party lines, marking him as an independent thinker.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
He was a classic frugal Yankee Republican. He's been known to reheat yesterday's coffee in the microwave.
The biggest republican mistake in the past 30 years.
Supreme Court Justice David Souter may be little known outside his small circle of friends -- at the gay bars in D.C.(1)Not that there's anything wrong with that.
(1) 'allegedly', just a rumor mind you.
I respect his austerity and frugality, however; virtues that our society has lost.
I don't remember enough of his selection process, but was his liberalism a complete surprise contrary to his former legal decisions and writing or did Bush the First and Sununu just drop the ball on this by not looking closely at him?
I dearly hope his frugal Yankee cabin is taken via eminent domain for a more tax-rich proposition from Walmart.
David Souter was the Norman Bates of the Supreme Court.
A mistake, for sure, but I think nothing, unfortunately, compared to Bush’s TARP and other bungling up and handing over of our economy and freedom the Messiah.
Didn’t he live with his Mother most of his life?
Democrats are so much better at applying litmus tests to their judicial nominees. We can count on the fact that Souter's replacement will be another Ruth Buzzi Ginsberg, only younger and even more of a left wing radical.
Classic Yankee Republicans thought they were smarter than everyone else and loved telling people what to do. That’s why most of them have become Democrats.
Classic gay momma’s boy.
It was public knowledge that he voted to perform abortions at a hospital on whose board he sat.
Howard Phillips brought this out at the hearings, and was slapped down by Orrin Hatch.
That’s why Republicans get “surprised” by their appointees, and Democrats don’t. Democrats ANNOUNCE that they have a litmus test, abortion, and everyone applauds. Republicans SWEAR that they have no litmus tests (and they DON’T), and everyone accuses them of having “litmus tests.”
Guess I am in the minority here, but the Connecticut eminent domain case was about whether the LAW in Connecticut should be upheld.
Not about feelings for the people displaced. The Court commended states review and change if necessary their own eminent domain laws.
Like it or not, Connecticut law permitted the taking of those homes.
Souter was and is a radical leftist, basing decisions on his view of politics and “fairness” rather than on the US Constitution. Period.
The next Dem nominee will have to make a good salsa!
Not if violates the 5th amendment.
Eminent domain traditional is about the state taking of private property for general "public use"
The Connecticut eminent domain case was about taking private property for a private enterprise, changing existing laws to be able to raise additional taxes, not pubic needs as normally defined: highways, bridges, etc.
I certainly do hope the city where Justice Souter lives in needs the additional taxes that Wal-Mart would bring and raze his house to make room
The what? 5th amendment?
Oh' that old archaic piece of parchment sealed up and on display in D.C.signed by our founders ?
Dude, get the the new program. Empathy, not the actual words is the new standard to interpret the meaning written on it, just ask Dear Leader Obama
Hey, Huma. Where's your burkha?
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