Retired supreme court Justice David H Souter, the ascetic bachelor and New Hampshire Republican who became a darling of liberals during his nearly 20 years on the bench, has died. He was 85.

Souter died on Thursday at his home in New Hampshire, the court said in a statement Friday. John Roberts, the chief justice, said Souter, who retired from the court in 2009, “brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service”.

Souter’s retirement gave Barack Obama his first supreme court vacancy to fill. Obama chose Sonia Sotomayor, the court’s first Latina justice.

Souter was appointed by George HW Bush in 1990, and quickly dashed the expectations of the conservative right that had cheered his elevation. He was a reliably liberal vote on abortion, church-state relations, freedom of expression and the accessibility of federal courts.

Odd what happens when the judiciary cares not a whit for political ramifications.