Souter bids emotional farewell to his judges

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Supreme Court Justice David Souter, momentarily choked with emotion, bid an affectionate farewell Tuesday to judges and lawyers he has worked with for nearly two decades.

Souter spoke at an annual conference of judges and lawyers from Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He handles matters that come to the Supreme Court from those states. The 69-year-old justice announced last Friday that he will retire when the court finishes its work for the summer and return to his home in New Hampshire.

Momentarily dropping his New England reserve, the justice appeared to choke up as he recalled asking his predecessor, William Brennan, if he wanted to send a message to the same group when Souter was preparing to attend his first conference in Teaneck, N.J.

“‘Just give them my love, David. Just give them my love,’” Souter remembered. “That goes for me, too.”

He was introduced by Chief Judge Anthony J. Scirica of the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as a “beloved member of the 3rd Circuit family.”

Souter said he had not intended for the news of his retirement to break before Tuesday’s event.

In Washington, the White House said President Barack Obama will not be announcing his choice to replace Souter this week. Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs ruled out that time frame when asked about published comments from Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who spoke to Obama Monday and said he expected an announcement this week.