Jump to full article: Reuters, 2009-05-01
Author: James Vicini - Analysis
Intro: From hot-button social issues to high-stakes business disputes, President Barack Obama's replacement for retiring liberal Justice David Souter will allow him to leave his mark on the U.S. Supreme Court -- but may not dramatically shift its balance of power.
A new justice named by Obama, a Democrat who praised the court's liberals during his presidential campaign, probably would not change the current close split between the court's conservative and liberal factions, legal experts said, in which conservatives often prevail by a single vote, 5-4.
But the lifetime appointment, Obama's first for the Supreme Court, would create a judicial legacy that could last decades after he leaves the White House, even if he wins another four-year term. . . .
He also has voted with the liberals on important business cases, allowing environmental regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and ruling that federal law or regulation does not shield tobacco and drug companies from lawsuits in state court.
Still, Souter has sometimes supported business.
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