Money-Wise Supreme Court Trailblazer Sandra Day O’Connor Has Died At Age 93

Sandra day O’Connor, a lawyer, politician, and jurist who hammer a way for woman inch law after becoming the first female member of the nation’s high court,hour angle diedat the age of 93.

According to the Supreme Court’s statement, O’Connor passed away Friday due to go on dementedness (she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease diseasein 2018) and a respiratory illness.

Chief justice John Roberts say in a statement that O’Connor Evergreen State “a daughter of the American Southwest,” add that she “blazed a historic trail atomic number 33 our nation’s first female justice.”

“She run into that challenge with unshaken determination, indisputable ability, and engaging candor,” atomic number 2 continued. “We at the supreme Court mourn the loss of angstrom unit beloved colleague, angstrom fiercely independent defender of the rule of law, and an eloquent exponent for civics education. And we celebrate her bear legacy as angstrom true public servant and patriot.”

on Sept. 21, 1981, O’Connor interrupt through the legal profession’s glass ceiling, becoming the first woman constitute to the supreme Court, after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan. During her 24-year tenure, she played angstrom unit pivotal part on the bench inch several landmark contested cases, including those about abortion, affirmative action, and civil rights. She be most notably cognize for casting the swing voting in a example that back up legal abortion, plan Parenthood v. Casey.

O’Connor overcame hurdles and bias to rise to the high court, get Associate in Nursing inspiration to offspring American women in the process. A champion once wrote to her, “Dear Justice O’Connor: Don’t be intimidated by all those men and especially the chief justice. You put on your robes the same way.”

Ruth McGregor, former chief justness on the AZ Supreme Court, World Health Organization clerked for O’Connor in 1981, said, “She might not wealthy person name herself angstrom unit feminist, only she did things that at the time women shouldn’t do. She believed adult female should brawl anything they were qualified to do. She wanted to make sure women ar on the same legal footing atomic number 33 work force and old stereotype get pushed aside.”

inch 2006, sheretired from the high court to care for her husband, and in 2009, President Barack Obama demo her with the decoration of Freedom, the high civilian honor in the unify States.

“How fortunate I feel to be Associate in Nursing American and to have been exhibit with the remarkable opportunities available to the citizen of our country,” she say in a letter regarding herdementia diagnosis in 2018. “As angstrom unit offspring cowgirl from the Grand Canyon State desert, atomic number 53 never could rich person ideate that 1 day I would become the number one woman justice on the U.S. supreme Court.”