Sandra Day O'Connor

**Sandra Day O'Connor** (March 26, 1930 – December 1, 2023) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. O'Connor was the first woman nominated and served as a U.S. supreme court justice. Before becoming an U.S. associate justice, O'Connor's was an Arizona state judge and earlier an elected legislator in Arizona, serving as the first female majority leader in the Arizona Senate.

## Biography

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

## Things named after her

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

## Sources

- Greenburg, Jan Crawford (2007). _Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court_. Penguin Books.
- Montini, E.J. (2005) "Rehnquist is No. 1, O'Connor is No. 3, Baloney is No. 2.", _The Arizona Republic_. Retrieved August 21, 2009.

## Other websites

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## Infobox (officeholder)

- **image**: Sandra Day O'Connor.jpg
- **caption**: Official portrait,
- **office**: Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
- **nominator**: Ronald Reagan
- **term start**: September 25, 1981
- **term end**: January 31, 2006
- **predecessor**: Potter Stewart
- **successor**: Samuel Alito
- **office2**: Judge of the Arizona Court of Appeals
- **nominator2**: Bruce Babbitt
- **term start2**: December 14, 1979
- **term end2**: September 25, 1981
- **predecessor2**: Mary Schroeder
- **successor2**: Sarah D. Grant
- **office3**: Judge of the Maricopa County Superior Court for Division 31
- **term start3**: January 9, 1975
- **term end3**: December 14, 1979
- **predecessor3**: David Perry
- **successor3**: Cecil Patterson
- **state senate4**: Arizona
- **term start4**: October 30, 1969
- **term end4**: January 13, 1975
- **predecessor4**: Isabel Burgess
- **successor4**: John C. Pritzlaff Jr., John Pritzlaff
- **constituency4**: Arizona's 8th legislative district, 8-E district (1969–1971)
Arizona's 20th legislative district, 20th district (1971–1973)
Arizona's 24th legislative district, 24th district (1973–1975)
- **office5**: 23rd Chancellor of the College of William & Mary, Chancellor of the College of William and Mary
- **president5**: Gene Nichol
W. Taylor Reveley III, Taylor Reveley
- **term start5**: October 1, 2005
- **term end5**: February 3, 2012
- **predecessor5**: Henry Kissinger
- **successor5**: Robert Gates
- **birth name**: Sandra Day
- **birth place**: El Paso, Texas, U.S.
- **death place**: Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
- **party**: Republican Party (United States), Republican
- **children**: 3
- **education**: Stanford University (Bachelor of Arts, BA, LLB)
- **signature**: Oconnorsig.svg
- **known for**: First female U.S. Supreme Court justice
- **awards**: Presidential Medal of Freedom (2009)