Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the US Supreme Court, will lie in repose at the court’s Great Hall this Wednesday.
The late justice was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and served as an associate justice until 2006. During her tenure, she wrote landmark decisions that shaped modern constitutional law. Her quiet pragmatism and respect for different points of view earned her widespread admiration.
Justice O’Connor’s body will arrive at the Supreme Court at 11:30 a.m., where she will lie in repose until 8:00 p.m. This is the same honor that has been bestowed upon 11 other justices since the Court began this tradition in 1925.
The public is invited to Offer Respect, Meditation and Reflection during the ceremony. The hall will be available for all to pay their respects until 8:00 p.m., at which time the Great Hall doors will be locked and the Justice’s casket will be moved to the Supreme Court Library for the night.
Justice O’Connor’s casket will be brought back to the Great Hall on Thursday morning, where it will be opened and covered with a flag draped in her honor. From 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., the hall will be open to the public again, and the flag will be taken away at 4:00 p.m. as the casket is moved to the Supreme Court Chapel for a formal presentation in her honor.
Justice O’Connor will be laid to rest in a private ceremony, culminating a month of honors and tributes.
Throughout her life, Justice O’Connor remained a persistent force for progress and civil rights. Her legacy will live on the decisions she rendered from the Supreme Court, and in the hearts of all those who were inspired by her principles and dedication to justice.