Retired Justice John Paul Stevens, A Maverick On The Bench, Dies At 99
Retired Justice John Paul Stevens, whose Supreme Court opinions transformed many areas of American law during his 34 year tenure, died at the age of 99 in in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., of complications following a stroke he suffered Monday.
Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed Stevens' death in a statement from the Supreme Court.
"A son of the Midwest heartland and a veteran of World War II, Justice Stevens devoted his long life to public service, including 35 years on the Supreme Court," Roberts said in the statement. "He brought to our bench an inimitable blend of kindness, humility, wisdom, and independence. His unrelenting commitment to justice has left us a better nation. We extend our deepest condolences to his children Elizabeth and Susan, and to his extended family."
The court's statement noted that "he passed away peacefully with his daughters by his side."
Often called a judge's judge, Stevens was something of a throwback to a less rancorous era, when, as one writer put it, law and politics were a noble pursuit, not a blood sport.
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/16/103908524/justice-john-paul-stevens-a-maverick-on-the-bench-dies-at-99
