First woman who served as a judge in Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), the former justice, Sandra Day O’Connor died on December 1, 2023, at the aged of 93. Her death was “complications related to advanced dementia,” the court said. In 2018, O’Connor disclosed in a letter that she had received a diagnosis of early-stage dementia, likely Alzheimer’s disease.
O’Connor’s appointment was a significant achievement for women in the legal profession and she paved the way for future female justices on the Supreme Court.
President Ronald Reagan called her “truly a person for all seasons, possessing those unique qualities of temperament, fairness, intellectual capacity, and devotion to the public good which have characterized the 101 brethren who have preceded her.”
Sandra Day O’Connor her education.
Sandra Day O’Connor, the trailblazer who became the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, pursued her education at Stanford University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1950, and then went on to complete her law degree from Stanford Law School in 1952. Post-graduation, she gained work experience in California and Frankfurt, Germany, before eventually settling in Arizona. The knowledge and insights she gained from her education and early career significantly influenced her pragmatic approach and thorough research methods during her tenure on the Supreme Court.
Sandra Day O’Connor career as judge
23rd Chancellor of the College of William & Mary
Sandra Day O’Connor, a retired Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, took on the role of the 23rd Chancellor of the College of William & Mary. Her tenure began on October 1, 2005, and she was officially invested on April 7, 2006. She succeeded Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, a former U.S. Secretary of State, who held the position since 2000. As the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, O’Connor brought a vast array of experience and insight to her role as Chancellor. Her time at the College of William & Mary reflects her dedication to education and her commitment to public service.
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
she has been Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, from September 1981 to January 2006, she was Nominated by Ronald Reagan, Preceded by Potter Stewart and Succeeded by Samuel Alito. before that she served as judge of Arizona court of appeals for division one from December 1979 to September 1981.
Arizona State Senate
She begins her political career in Arizona. Appointed to the Arizona State Senate in 1969, she was later elected and reelected, becoming the first woman majority leader in a U.S. state senate. Known for her pragmatism and meticulous research, she was a moderate conservative who valued states’ rights. In 1975, she became a Judge of the Maricopa County Superior Court, and in 1979, a Judge of the Arizona Court of Appeals. These experiences shaped her judicial philosophy and prepared her for her historic Supreme Court appointment in 1981. Her time in the Arizona Senate influenced her Supreme Court decisions, reflecting her understanding of legislative processes and the importance of states’ rights.
Sandra Day O’Connor and voting rights.
First woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, played a crucial role in shaping voting rights in America. She was the deciding vote in Hunt v. Cromartie (2001), affirming the right of state legislators to consider race in redistricting to secure minority voting rights. In Morse v. Republican Party of Virginia (1996), she helped establish that key anti-discrimination provisions of the Voting Rights Act apply to political conventions selecting party candidates. O’Connor has emphasized that voting is a fundamental American right, standing alongside liberty and the pursuit of happiness. She also commemorated the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.
Sandra Day O’Connor on abortion
Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the pioneering woman justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, played a pivotal role in shaping the court’s stance on abortion rights. Despite her personal distaste for abortion, she upheld Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that legalized abortion, asserting that the government should have limited interference in such private decisions. As a former state legislator, she held a strong belief in the rights of states to enact their own laws, and thus, she was open to reasonable state-imposed restrictions on abortion.
In the 1992 case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, O’Connor was part of the majority that reaffirmed the principles of Roe v. Wade. She maintained her stance that while the government should have limited involvement in personal decisions, states should have the right to impose reasonable regulations.
When President Ronald Reagan nominated her to the Supreme Court in 1981, her views on abortion became a subject of intense scrutiny. Despite the controversy, O’Connor’s rulings have had a profound and lasting impact on the court’s approach to abortion rights.
Her other important cases.
In Lawrence v. Texas, O’Connor’s support for striking down anti-sodomy laws showed her commitment to protecting the rights of LGBTQ individuals. And in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, her ruling against the military commissions at Guantanamo Bay underscored her belief in upholding international law and human rights standards.
Bush v. Gore (2000) – O’Connor was part of the majority that effectively ended the recount in Florida, leading to George W. Bush winning the presidency.
Hamdi v. Rumsfeld (2004) – O’Connor wrote a concurring opinion that held that U.S. citizens detained as enemy combatants have the right to challenge their detention before an impartial judge or tribunal.
Sandra Day O’Connor on Indian cases
Sandra Day O’Connor worked on Indian cases during her time as a Supreme Court Justice. She was known for her involvement in cases related to Native American rights and sovereignty. she worked on several significant cases involving these issues, including cases related to tribal sovereignty, land rights, and the application of federal law on tribal lands.
