David H. Souter To Headline Harvard's 2010 Commencement

Update 11:26 a.m.

Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter '61 will deliver the keynote address at this year's Commencement on May 27, the University announced this morning.

Souter, a Rhodes Scholar and Harvard Law School graduate, stepped down from the high court in June after nearly two decades of service.

University President Drew G. Faust praised the former Lowell House resident's independence on the court in a statement.

“The dedication, humility, and commitment to learning with which he has pursued his calling should be an inspiration to any young man or woman contemplating a career in public service,” Faust said.

Appointed in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, Souter came to be regarded as a moderate liberal during his 19-year tenure on the bench. By the middle of his term, Souter frequently voted with liberals on issues including the death penalty, worker rights, and limiting abortion restrictions.

Before joining the Supreme Court, Souter served on the New Hampshire Supreme Court and as an Associate Attorney General in the state. He was briefly on the U.S. Court of Appeals before being appointed by Bush.

Souter—who was replaced on the court by Sonia M. Sotomayor—said during this year's annual Constitution Day event that he planned to undertake a variety of part-time jobs, such as returning to the First Circuit in Boston, where he spent just one day hearing cases before starting his tenure at the Supreme Court.

—Staff writer William N. White can be reached at wwhite@fas.harvard.edu.

—Check thecrimson.com for updates.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

CORRECTION: February 25, 2010

Due to an editing error, an original version of the Feb. 9 news article "David H. Souter To Headline Harvard's 2010 Commencement" stated that former U.S. Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter ’61 retired to his family farmhouse in Weare, N.H. after stepping down from the high court in June. In fact, though Souter was known to frequently return to Weare during his tenure on the court, upon retirement he bought a house in nearby Hopkinton, where he now lives, according to the New York Times.