Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer plans to retire, paving way for Biden pick

"A vocal critic of the death penalty, he has repeatedly called for the high court to reconsider its constitutionality and, in a 2015 dissent in a case involving Oklahoma's three-drug protocol for lethal injection, wrote he believes "it highly likely that the death penalty violates the Eighth Amendment.""

"A vocal critic of the death penalty, he has repeatedly called for the high court to reconsider its constitutionality and, in a 2015 dissent in a case involving Oklahoma's three-drug protocol for lethal injection, wrote he believes "it highly likely that the death penalty violates the Eighth Amendment.""

"The justices on Monday said they would hear a pair of cases involving the use of race in college admissions, adding affirmative action to the docket likely in its next term."

"The former president's impact on the Supreme Court reignited a focus for Democrats on its future, as they warned the impact of the conservative bench would be starkly felt in disputes involving hot-button issues like abortion, the Second Amendment and the environment."

"The former president's impact on the Supreme Court reignited a focus for Democrats on its future, as they warned the impact of the conservative bench would be starkly felt in disputes involving hot-button issues like abortion, the Second Amendment and the environment."

"He will step down from the court after a blockbuster term that included cases on the Second Amendment, abortion and religious liberty."

"He will step down from the court after a blockbuster term that included cases on the Second Amendment, abortion and religious liberty."

"The first saving the Affordable Care Act from a Republican-led effort to dismantle it and the second setting limits on schools' ability to punish students for off-campus speech."

"It's unclear how quickly Mr. Biden will move to nominate a replacement for Breyer."

This is a negative sentiment.

"It's unclear how quickly Mr. Biden will move to nominate a replacement for Breyer."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Activists who pressured Breyer to retire often cited Ginsburg's decision not to step down during former President Barack Obama's first term, when Democrats controlled the Senate, as a cautionary tale, as the liberal justice was replaced with a conservative."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Activists who pressured Breyer to retire often cited Ginsburg's decision not to step down during former President Barack Obama's first term, when Democrats controlled the Senate, as a cautionary tale, as the liberal justice was replaced with a conservative."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Activists who pressured Breyer to retire often cited Ginsburg's decision not to step down during former President Barack Obama's first term, when Democrats controlled the Senate, as a cautionary tale, as the liberal justice was replaced with a conservative."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Democrats currently hold just 50 seats in the evenly split Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting tie-breaking votes, meaning all Democratic senators will need to support Breyer's replacement in order to secure confirmation without relying on GOP backing."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Democrats currently hold just 50 seats in the evenly split Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting tie-breaking votes, meaning all Democratic senators will need to support Breyer's replacement in order to secure confirmation without relying on GOP backing."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer lauded Breyer as a "model jurist" and pledged a swift confirmation process for his successor.nn"

This is a positive sentiment.

"Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer lauded Breyer as a "model jurist" and pledged a swift confirmation process for his successor.nn"

This is a positive sentiment.

"Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin said in a statement he intends for his panel to take up Mr. Biden's nomination "expeditiously" and said Mr. Biden "has the opportunity to nominate someone who will bring diversity, experience, and an evenhanded approach to the administration of justice."nn"

This is a positive sentiment.

"Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin said in a statement he intends for his panel to take up Mr. Biden's nomination "expeditiously" and said Mr. Biden "has the opportunity to nominate someone who will bring diversity, experience, and an evenhanded approach to the administration of justice."nn"

This is a positive sentiment.

"While Breyer's retirement will not alter the ideological makeup of the Supreme Court, as Breyer is likely to be replaced by a fellow liberal jurist, it does position Mr. Biden to name a new justice who can serve for decades if confirmed by the Senate."

This is a negative sentiment.

"While Breyer's retirement will not alter the ideological makeup of the Supreme Court, as Breyer is likely to be replaced by a fellow liberal jurist, it does position Mr. Biden to name a new justice who can serve for decades if confirmed by the Senate."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Washington -- Justice Stephen Breyer, the senior member of the Supreme Court's liberal wing, plans to retire after nearly 28 years on the bench, giving President Biden the opportunity to make his first appointment to the nation's highest court, one that is poised to be historic.nn"

This is a negative sentiment.

"Washington -- Justice Stephen Breyer, the senior member of the Supreme Court's liberal wing, plans to retire after nearly 28 years on the bench, giving President Biden the opportunity to make his first appointment to the nation's highest court, one that is poised to be historic.nn"

This is a negative sentiment.

"Appointed to the Supreme Court in 1994 by President Bill Clinton, Breyer's tenure has been marked by his pragmatism and creative hypotheticals during oral arguments, which over the years have featured deranged "tomato children," a "rabbit-duck" and garage-door sensors eaten by raccoons."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Appointed to the Supreme Court in 1994 by President Bill Clinton, Breyer's tenure has been marked by his pragmatism and creative hypotheticals during oral arguments, which over the years have featured deranged "tomato children," a "rabbit-duck" and garage-door sensors eaten by raccoons."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee will be led by Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, tapped by Mr. Biden to the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, is considered to be a top contender for the Supreme Court."

This is a positive sentiment.

"Unlike his predecessor, Mr. Biden declined to release a list of possible Supreme Court contenders, bucking calls from Democrats to do so during the presidential campaign."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Breyer's retirement comes as the Supreme Court transformed to one now dominated by conservative justices, with former President Donald Trump naming Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett to the high court during his only term."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Breyer's retirement comes as the Supreme Court transformed to one now dominated by conservative justices, with former President Donald Trump naming Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett to the high court during his only term."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Breyer's retirement comes as the Supreme Court transformed to one now dominated by conservative justices, with former President Donald Trump naming Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett to the high court during his only term."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Breyer's retirement comes as the Supreme Court transformed to one now dominated by conservative justices, with former President Donald Trump naming Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett to the high court during his only term."

This is a negative sentiment.

"The move comes after a months-long campaign from progressives that began after Mr. Biden assumed office urging him to retire and allow the president to name a successor while Democrats hold a slim, and fragile, majority in the Senate."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Brian Fallon, executive director of Demand Justice, said in a statement it's a "relief" that Mr. Biden will have the chance to choose a successor for Breyer while Democrats control the Senate."

This is a negative sentiment.

"Brian Fallon, executive director of Demand Justice, said in a statement it's a "relief" that Mr. Biden will have the chance to choose a successor for Breyer while Democrats control the Senate."

This is a negative sentiment.

"President Biden's nominee will receive a prompt hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and will be considered and confirmed by the full United States Senate with all deliberate speed."nn"

This is a positive sentiment.