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Stevens was an extraordinary justice who lived a rich and full life. His kindness and courtesy are legendary. His jurisprudence was defined by profound respect for individual liberty and human dignity. A wonderful man and an exemplary jurist. This is a huge loss.
Though not a flashy writer, Stevens brought a charming personal touch to many opinions and happily evolved with the times. He wrote this—explaining why Congress cannot censor the internet to protect children from sexual images—when he was 84. law.cornell.edu/supct/pdf/03-2… 
Stevens dissented from 1986's Bowers v. Hardwick, in which the court notoriously upheld sodomy bans. His dissent was so persuasive that Kennedy simply made it the law in 2003's Lawrence v. Texas. law.cornell.edu/supct/pdf/02-1…
Stevens' Bush v. Gore dissent is legendary, and rightly so. Fun fact: He had originally written "pellucidly clear," but his clerks convinced him to change it. (He had a glorious vocabulary.) law.cornell.edu/supct/pdf/00-9…
In 2002, Stevens called on the court to outlaw the execution of juvenile offenders, a "shameful practice." Three years later, it did just that in Roper v. Simmons.
Stevens' concurrence in Roper is vintage Stevens. law.cornell.edu/supct/pdf/03-6…
Anyway, this tribute by a former Stevens clerk about sums it up. He was a great man and an exceptional judge. His rulings made the United States a more just and equal nation. RIP Justice Stevens. scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewconten…
