Nation’s first female Supreme Court justice
Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court, has died, according to media reports today. She was 93.
She was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and retired in 2006.
O'Connor died in Phoenix, Arizona on Friday “of complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimer's, and a respiratory illness,'' the Supreme Court said in a statement.
Chief Justice John Roberts, in a statement released by the court, said, “A daughter of the American Southwest, Sandra Day O'Connor blazed an historic trail as our Nation's first female Justice. She met that challenge with undaunted determination, indisputable ability, and engaging candor.''
“We at the Supreme Court mourn the loss of a beloved colleague, a fiercely independent defender of the rule of law, and an eloquent advocate for civics education,'' Roberts said. “And we celebrate her enduring legacy as a true public servant and patriot.''
O'Connor was joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1992, on the Supreme Court.
Four other women have served on the Supreme Court. They are Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
