Who was Sandra Day O'Connor? What to know about the first female Supreme Court justice

Sandra Day O'Connor, one of the most influential women in American history, died Dec. 1, 2023, in Phoenix at age 93. Here's what to know about the U.S. Supreme Court trailblazer.

Who was Sandra Day O'Connor?

O'Connor was the first woman appointed to the nation's highest court.

What is Sandra Day O'Connor's Arizona connection?

She was born in Texas but grew up on an Arizona ranch in the 1930s and 1940s. She and her late husband John lived in a house they built in the 1950s in Paradise Valley.

When did Sandra Day O'Connor retire from the Supreme Court?

O'Connor retired from the U.S. Supreme Court in January 2006.

Who appointed Sandra Day O'Connor?

President Ronald Reagan nominated O'Connor, who considered herself an old-school conservative, to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1981.

Why was Sandra Day O'Connor important?

In addition to being the first woman on the Supreme Court, she was a key vote on some significant cases.

Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992 challenged a Pennsylvania law that imposed restrictions on abortion, such as waiting periods, parental consent and spousal consent.

O'Connor sided with the majority in upholding the concept of Roe v. Wade. She believed that the government should have limited say over the most private of decisions.

But she also believed in states' rights to set their own laws. As such, she would allow reasonable controls set by the states.

O'Connor was the swing vote in the decision to stop the Florida recounts in the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, making Bush the winner.

In 2003, she upheld the University of Michigan law school's admissions policy that considered race. O’Connor said race was just one of several factors in admissions and it helped ensure the educational benefits of a diverse student body to all.

What other jobs did Sandra Day O'Connor have?

O'Connor was educated at Stanford, where she met her husband.

She worked at the state Attorney General's Office in a job housed in the state's mental institution, beginning her life of public service.

She also was appointed to a seat in the Arizona Legislature, and her colleagues then elected her the Republican Party's leader in the state Senate.

She also served as a Maricopa County judge and was appointed to the state Court of Appeals in 1979.

In 1980, Reagan promised to appoint a woman to the U.S. Supreme Court if elected, and made good on his promise after he was elected.

Biography: Sandra Day O'Connor — with a work ethic gained on a ranch — embodies Grand Canyon State

Did Sandra Day O'Connor know Ruth Bader Ginsburg?

The two women who first served on the U.S. Supreme Court had their historical connection in common, but little else.

Ginsburg was a professor at Rutgers School of Law. She served 12 years with O'Connor on the nation's high court. President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, nominated Ginsburg in 1993.

Did Sandra Day O'Connor date Chief Justice William Rehnquist?

O'Connor dated William Rehnquist, who would later become chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, when they were both law students at Stanford. He later proposed marriage, but by then she was dating another law school classmate, John Jay O'Connor III.

They were married for more than 50 years when he died from complications of Alzheimer's disease in 2009.

What was Sandra Day O'Connor's cause of death?

The cause was complications related to advanced dementia and a respiratory illness.

When is Sandra Day O'Connor's funeral or memorial service?

The Supreme Court traditionally honors justices who have died with a meeting of the Supreme Court’s Bar and by ceremonially adopting resolutions in honor of the late justice. Chief Justice John Roberts has said that the court will hold a traditional memorial service for O’Connor “at an appropriate time.”

Arizona Republic reporter Laura Gersony contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who was Sandra Day O'Connor? What to know about Supreme Court justice