Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Has Died

(KNSI) — Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has died.

The 93-year-old O’Connor was a trailblazer, the first woman to serve as a justice in the nation’s highest court. President Ronald Reagan nominated her in 1981, fulfilling a campaign promise to appoint the first woman to the court. Her nomination was unanimously approved by the Senate.

One of the biggest cases O’Connor joined with four other justices on was in December of 2000 to rule on the Bush v. Gore case that ceased challenges to the results of the 2000 presidential election. This was the ruling to stop the ongoing Florida election recount and to allow no further recounts, which effectively ended Gore’s hopes of becoming president. Her vote was considered controversial as The Wall Street Journal reported she was upset after it was announced Al Gore had won the presidency as she would have to wait four years to retire due to a Democrat in the White House.

She announced her retirement to President George W. Bush in July of 2005 and expected to be done by the time the next term started in October, but Justice William Rehnquist died September 3rd. Judge John Roberts had been nominated to succeed O’Connor but instead was appointed to Chief Justice to fill Rehnsquist’s seat. Judge Samuel Alito was nominated and confirmed for her seat. He was sworn in on January 31st, 2006.

After leaving the Supreme Court, she heard cases and rendered opinions in federal appellate courts, filling in where vacancies occurred. O’Connor also taught, published a book and was a public speaker. She also was a philanthropist, launching a civics course for students.

She stepped back from public life in 2018 after a dementia diagnosis.

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