Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor died at the age of 93 this morning, the court announced in a statement.
"Retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Sandra Day O'Connor died this morning in Phoenix, Arizona, of complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimer's, and a respiratory illness. She was 93 years old. Justice O'Connor was appointed to the Court by President Reagan in 1981 and retired in 2006, after serving more than 24 years on the Court," the Supreme Court said in the statement obtained by Newsweek.
"She was the first female member of the Court. She is survived by her three sons, Scott (Joanie) O'Connor, Brian (Shawn) O'Connor, and Jay (Heather) O'Connor, six grandchildren: Courtney, Adam, Keely, Weston, Dylan and Luke, and her beloved brother and co-author, Alan Day, Sr. Her husband, John O'Connor, preceded her in death in 2009."
"Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., said of Justice O'Connor: 'A daughter of the American Southwest, Sandra Day O'Connor blazed an historic trail as our Nation's first female Justice. She met that challenge with undaunted determination, indisputable ability, and engaging candor. We at the Supreme Court mourn the loss of a beloved colleague, a fiercely independent defender of the rule of law, and an eloquent advocate for civics education. And we celebrate her enduring legacy as a true public servant and patriot.'"
"Justice O'Connor was born in El Paso, Texas, on March 26, 1930. She married John Jay O'Connor III in 1952. She received her B.A. and LL.B. from Stanford University. She served as Deputy County Attorney of San Mateo County, California, from 1952 to 1953 and as a civilian attorney for Quartermaster Market Center, Frankfurt, Germany, from 1954 to 1957. From 1958 to 1960, she practiced law in Maryvale, Arizona, before serving as Assistant Attorney General of Arizona from 1965 to 1969. She was appointed to the Arizona State Senate in 1969 and was subsequently reelected to two two-year terms, during which she was selected as Majority Leader. In 1975 she was elected Judge of the Maricopa County Superior Court and served until 1979, when she was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals," the statement added.
"Justice O'Connor wrote five books: Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest (2002); The Majesty of the Law: Reflections of a Supreme Court Justice (2002); Chico (2005); Finding Susie (2009); and Out of Order: Stories from the History of the Supreme Court (2013)."
"Following her tenure on the Supreme Court, she founded and led iCivics, the Nation's leading civics education platform. As President Reagan said when first introducing her to the American people, she was a woman for all seasons."
The Supreme Court added in the statement that details of O'Connor's funeral will soon be released.
A number of lawmakers responded to O'Connor's passing on social media.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Sad news w the passing of fmr Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor She was a trailblazer for the high court &always worked to find consensus She was 1st justice I had honor of voting for as Senator Her contributions 2 the court will endure +she will be missed."
Read more
- Democrats turn tables on GOP in judge nominations
- Mary Trump's stark warning to Donald after reinstated gag order
- Clarence Thomas feud heats up
Florida Senator Rick Scott said on X that he and his wife Ann "were saddened to hear about former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's passing."
"While she may no longer be with us, her legacy as the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court is remarkable. She was a trailblazer who led well. Please join us in praying for her family," Scott said.
Conservative commentator Laura Loomer said that O'Connor was the commencement speaker at her boarding school when she was 15, adding that the former Supreme Court Justice was a "remarkable woman."
Legal analyst and George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley said that O'Connor left "a lasting legacy on the court."
Update 12/01/23, 11:01 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
");jQuery(this).remove()})jQuery('.start-slider').owlCarousel({loop:!1,margin:10,nav:!0,items:1}).on('changed.owl.carousel',function(event){var currentItem=event.item.index;var totalItems=event.item.count;if(currentItem===0){jQuery('.owl-prev').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-prev').removeClass('disabled')}if(currentItem===totalItems-1){jQuery('.owl-next').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-next').removeClass('disabled')}})}})})
