ACTL Mourns the Loss of Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court David Souter

NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA (May 9, 2025) – The American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) mourns the loss of former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States David Souter, a Rhodes Scholar, an independent and unconventional jurist and an Honorary Fellow of the College.

Appointed by President George H. W. Bush, Justice Souter sat on the Supreme Court from 1990-2009. For nearly two decades, Justice Souter exemplified the values of the College, defending the Rule of Law, an independent Judiciary and equal access to justice.

Justice Souter believed that civics education and an understanding of government was essential to the success of our democracy, famously saying in an interview after he retired: “What I worry about is that when problems are not addressed, people will not know who is responsible. And when the problems get bad enough … some one person will come forward and say, ‘Give me total power and I will solve this problem.’ That is how the Roman republic fell.”

President of the College Richard H. Deane, Jr., said, “Justice Souter was a truly independent Justice of the Court. He ruled according to the law and believed in the enduring principles of the Constitution. Our nation was the beneficiary of his wisdom and his thoughtful deliberations on the important matters that came before him.”

To read the full press release, click here.