Retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter, who spent nearly 20 years on the nation's highest court, has died.

Chief Justice John Roberts praised Souter in a statement today, saying he served the court with great distinction and brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service.

Souter was a critical figure in several key battles in the court over issues like abortion and the 2000 presidential election. William Brangham has this remembrance.

After ascending to the nation's highest court, Justice David Suter quickly turned from a great hope for conservatives into a judge who sided most frequently with the court's liberals.

And because of it, he inspired a Republican rally cry, no more suitors.

He grew up in a small New Hampshire town and carried that Yankee upbringing with him to

Washington, according to a former law clerk, Noah Feldman.

He never wore a coat in Washington, D.C. because as a New Englander, he took the view that it was never cold enough to need a coat.

And that included at the memorial service for Justice Harry Blackman, when the justices had to stand outside for more than two hours in pelting snow.

And he absolutely refused to wear a coat.

From Harvard Law, Souter became a prosecutor, and then his home state's attorney general.

President George H.W. Bush appointed him to the federal bench, and then, just a few years later,

tapped him to serve on the nation's highest court when liberal justice William Brennan stepped down.

The Supreme Court must be guided by independent minds, and its members are appointed for life,

largely to keep them above the flames of political passion.

Despite having little national profile, his fellow New Hampshireite, Bush's chief of staff,

John Sununu, assured conservative skeptics of his bona fides.

And Souter was confirmed 90 to 9, but he quickly angered some of his Republican backers.

In 1992's Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Souter joined the

court's moderates to uphold abortion rights nationwide. And in one notable dissent in the

controversial 2000 election case, Bush v. Gore, Souter argued Florida should continue its recount.

The biggest mistake that people made about David Suter was thinking that somehow he was a conservative

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