Possible Picks to Replace Souter on the Supreme Court

Supreme Court Justice David Souter's decision to retire this year already has led to a swirl of speculation over who will replace him.

Here's a list of possible nominees President Obama may consider:

-- Sonia Sotomayor, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit

-- Elena Kagan, solicitor general, former Harvard Law School dean

-- Harold Koh, former Yale Law School dean, nominee for legal adviser to the State Department

-- Deval Patrick, Massachusetts governor

-- Leah Ward Sears, outgoing chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court

-- Jennifer Granholm, Michigan governor

-- Kathleen Sullivan, professor and former dean of Stanford Law School

-- Cass Sunstein, law professor at Harvard University, Obama's choice to lead Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs

-- Ruben Castillo, judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

-- Margaret McKeown, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit

-- Diane Wood, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit

-- Kim McLane Wardlaw, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit

-- Seth Waxman, former solicitor general

-- Pam Karlan, law professor at Harvard University

-- Sandra Lea Lynch, chief judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit

-- Merrick Garland, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

-- Eric Holder, attorney general

-- Karen Nelson Moore, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit

-- Charles Ogletree, professor at Harvard Law School

-- David Tatel, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

-- Rosemary Barkett, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit

-- Fortunato Benavides, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit

-- Marsha Berzon, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit

-- Jose Cabranes, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit