Justice Souter's papers will remain sealed until 2075

Justice David H. Souter, a former Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, died at his home in New Hampshire. The announcement regarding his passing was made by the Supreme Court, generating numerous remembrances for the influential figure. In 2015, Justice Souter had explicitly communicated his intention that his papers should be made available for public inspection only fifty years after his death. The New Hampshire Historical Society was entrusted with these papers, which Souter believed would only be of interest to historians long after his passing. He also made it clear that he was serious about this timeline, stating that he had an incinerator outside his home to destroy his papers if the request was not honored. Bill Veillette, the executive director of the historical society, confirmed that Souter emphasized this condition during discussions in 2009. The Justice's decision for a fifty-year delay is considered relatively brief compared to the custom of families donating notable figures' papers long after their deaths. Ultimately, the earliest date for public access to Souter's papers will be in 2075, coinciding with the upcoming Tricentennial anniversary of the United States.