Sandra Day O'Connor

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006

Sandra Day O'Connor (March 26, 1930 – December 1, 2023) was a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was the first woman to serve as justice on the Supreme Court, as well as the first from Arizona.[1]

Sandra Day O'Connor
91st Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
In office
September 21, 1981 – January 31, 2006
Nominated byRonald Reagan
Preceded byPotter Stewart
Succeeded bySamuel Alito
23rd Chancellor of The College of William & Mary
In office
April 7, 2006 – February 3, 2012
Preceded byHenry Kissinger
Succeeded byRobert Gates
Personal details
Born
Sandra Day

(1930-03-26)March 26, 1930
El Paso, Texas, U.S.
DiedDecember 1, 2023(2023-12-01) (aged 93)
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)John O'Connor (1952–2009)
Children3
Alma materStanford University
Signature

One of her ideas on the Supreme Court was the endorsement test. It was a way to check if the government was supporting religion.

O'Connor was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan. Reagan said while running for president that he wanted a woman to be on the Supreme Court and promised to nominate a woman for the job the first chance he got. One of her biggest supporters was Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, who helped make sure that all 100 Senators voted to confirm her.

While on the Supreme Court, she was involved in several major Supreme Court decisions including: Bush v. Gore, which had to do with a disputed election; Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which involved a woman's right to privacy. She was also involved in Lawrence v. Texas, a case about whether burning a US flag was free speech. She retired from the court in 2006. Samuel Alito was chosen to replace her.

On August 12, 2009, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest civilian honor of the United States. It was given by President Barack Obama.

In October 2018, O’Connor announced her retirement from public life after revealing that she was diagnosed with the early stages of dementia.[2]

On December 1, 2023, O'Connor died in Phoenix, Arizona from problems caused by dementia and respiratory failure, aged 93.[3][4]

Things named after her

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She has a high school named after her in North Phoenix, Arizona.[5]

References

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  1. "Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court, has died at 93". AP News. 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  2. Justice O'Connor announces she has been diagnosed with dementia, 'probably Alzheimer's' at CNN
  3. "Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female Supreme Court justice, dead at 93". NBC News. 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
  4. Greenhouse, Linda (December 1, 2023). "Sandra Day O'Connor, First Woman on the Supreme Court, Is Dead at 93". The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  5. "Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law | ASU". law.asu.edu. Retrieved 2023-12-02.

Sources

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Other websites

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Legal offices
Preceded by
Potter Stewart
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
1981–2006
Succeeded by
Samuel Alito
Order of Precedence of the United States of America
Preceded by
John Paul Stevens
as Senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
Order of Precedence of the United States
as Senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
Succeeded by
David Souter
as Senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court