On July 7th, the Supreme Court of the United States mourned the loss of a giant in American law: Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. The first female justice on the Supreme Court, her legacy will be felt for generations to come.
Current and former members of the Supreme Court, from Chief Justice John Roberts to Justice Stephen Breyer, gathered to remember O’Connor’s life and her substantial impact on the court. Appointed in 1981 by then-President Ronald Reagan, O’Connor’s nearly three decades on the court have been marked by smart, pragmatic and even sometimes controversial decisions.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh remarked on the bittersweet feelings that accompanied the gathering: “It was great to be able to come together and to honor Justice O’Connor. We had many fond memories of her from the bench, but also sadness over her passing. Justice O’Connor was a pioneer for women in law, and a giant in American jurisprudence.” He spoke fondly of her ability to understand and consider every perspective on a case and to find solutions that created win-win scenarios.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the current court’s sole female member, echoed Kavanaugh’s sentiments and celebrated O’Connor’s advocacy for justice and judicial fairness. “Justice O’Connor was a champion for those who were too rarely heard. She helped lay the legal groundwork for fighting sex discrimination and spoke out strongly against injustices against immigrants and other minority groups. She was an independent thinker and someone who was passionate about making sure that the law was applied with fairness and justice,” said Ginsburg.
O’Connor was known for her bipartisan efforts and bipartisan support. Her decisions were pragmatic and based on an equal weighing of the facts, evidence, and arguments of both sides. In her most famous ruling, she helped deliver the fateful Bush v. Gore decision that ended the 2000 presidential election deadlock.
In her later years, O’Connor served as a mentor to countless new justices, including the current court’s longest serving member, Justice Clarence Thomas. recalls Thomas, “Justice O’Connor welcomed me warmly when I first became a member of the court. She took the time to explain the role of the court and how its decision-making process worked. I was very humbled by her kindness and support.”
Justice O’Connor will be remembered for her passionate dedication to the court, to justice and to civil rights, as well as her impressive legacy as the first female onstage these hallowed halls. Her contributions will live on in the court’s decisions for years to come.