United States | Vacancy on the Supreme Court

Justice Stephen Breyer retires after almost 28 years on the Supreme Court

Joe Biden has said he will choose a black woman as the liberal jurist’s successor

|NEW YORK

NOT SINCE 2010 has a Democratic president put a justice on the Supreme Court. Joe Biden will now have his chance. On January 26th sources close to Stephen Breyer, the 83-year-old dean of the court’s liberal bloc, said he will retire at the end of the court’s current term. In one sense, Mr Biden’s nomination will change little: a liberal will replace a liberal. But on the campaign trail he promised to nominate a black woman for the first time ever.

This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Exit left”

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