Which former U.S. Supreme Court Justice, appointed by George H.W. Bush, died in 2025?

The former U.S. Supreme Court Justice, appointed by George H.W. Bush, who passed away in 2025 was David Souter. Justice Souter died at his home in New Hampshire on May 8, 2025, at the age of 85. He served on the nation's highest court for nearly two decades, from 1990 until his retirement in 2009.

President George H.W. Bush nominated Souter to the Supreme Court in 1990 to fill the vacancy left by Justice William J. Brennan Jr. At the time of his appointment, Souter was largely an unknown figure on the national legal scene, having primarily served as a judge on the New Hampshire Superior Court, the New Hampshire Supreme Court, and briefly on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Despite being championed by some conservatives as a "home run" for their ideology, Souter's judicial philosophy evolved during his tenure on the Supreme Court, and he often sided with the Court's more liberal wing. This unexpected shift led to the popular conservative refrain, "No more Souters," influencing future presidential nominations.

Justice Souter's quiet demeanor and preference for his New Hampshire home over Washington D.C. were well-known. After retiring from the Supreme Court in 2009, creating President Barack Obama's first Supreme Court vacancy, Souter continued to contribute to the judiciary. He regularly sat by designation on panels of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit for more than a decade, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to public service. His papers have been donated to the New Hampshire Historical Society, with a stipulation that they will remain sealed for 50 years after his passing.