Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens to retire

The most senior member of the United States Supreme Court is stepping down. Justice John Paul Stevens announced Friday he will retire from the Court.

Stevens, who is the leader of the Court's liberal bloc, was appointed to his seat in 1975 by President Gerald Ford. His announcement paves the way for President Barack Obama to make his second nomination to the Court. According to the Associated Press, Stevens said he will finish out his term before stepping down. This comes as little surprise to many in Washington D.C. Stevens only hired two law clerks at the beginning of term, an indication he was stepping down. Stevens will turn 90 in just 11 days, making him the oldest sitting Supreme Court Justice in history. He'll pass Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes who also served until he was 90. President Obama is said to be considering nominating his current Solicitor General, Elena Kagan, to the Court. The Solicitor General is responsible for arguing cases that come before the Court involving the federal government. Kagan was interviewed last fall before President Obama nominated then Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Court.