Stevens: War veteran, respected justice

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens said he will retire this year, giving President Obama another opportunity to shape the nation's highest court

John Paul Stevens has served as a central liberal voice on the high court, at times leading negotiations to sway opinions on critical cases

Learn more about the nine people who sit on the highest court in the U.S.

With Stevens' retirement, President Obama gets his second opportunity to shape the U.S. Supreme Court after naming Sonia Sotomayor to the court last year