Political battle looms after Justice Stevens says to retire
John Paul Stevens
The United States is bracing for a heated political battle after venerable US Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens announced his retirement from the bench.
 George Washington University law school professor Jonathan Turley described Stevens's retirement as "an understandably sad moment for liberals."
 Stevens nearly beat the record of his long-serving predecessor  William Douglas  who served for 36 years.
 Born in 1920 in Chicago  Stevens first threw himself into the study of literature in the hope of becoming a professor like his mother.
 But he turned to law after joining the US Navy following the attacks on Pearl Harbor  serving as an intelligence officer from 1942 to 1945.
The United States is bracing for a heated political battle after [TGT] announced [TGT] retirement from the bench.
 George Washington University law school professor Jonathan Turley described Stevens's retirement as "an understandably sad moment for liberals."
 [TGT] nearly beat the record of [TGT] long-serving predecessor  William Douglas  who served for 36 years.
 Born in 1920 in Chicago  Stevens first threw himself into the study of literature in the hope of becoming a professor like his mother.
 But he turned to law after joining the US Navy following the attacks on Pearl Harbor  serving as an intelligence officer from 1942 to 1945.