AP is reporting that John Paul Stevens, the longest-serving justice on the Supreme Court, will retire at the end of this term.

Stevens began signaling a possible retirement last summer when he hired just one of his usual complement of four law clerks for the next court term. He acknowledged in several interviews that he was contemplating stepping down and would certainly do so during Obama's presidency.

The timing of his announcement leaves ample time for the White House to settle on a successor and Senate Democrats, who control 59 votes, to conduct confirmation hearings and a vote. Republicans have not ruled out an attempt to delay confirmation.

The leading candidates to replace Stevens are Solicitor General Elena Kagan, 49, and federal appellate Judges Merrick Garland, 57, and Diane Wood, 59.

The White House had been anticipating at least one opening on the bench after this term. Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed rather easily despite some initial controversy over her "wise Latina" comments. But recent history has shown, as I wrote earlier this week at Politics Nation, that confirmation of a president's second appointment often has been more turbulent. And given that Democrats don't have a filibuster-proof majority as they had last year, count on Republicans prepping for more of a fight.

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