The First Woman Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court: Sandra Day O'Connor

Sandra Day O'Connor

Sandra Day O'Connor (born March 26, 1930) is a retired United States Supreme Court justice. She served as an Associate Justice from her appointment in 1981 by Ronald Reagan until her retirement from the Court in 2006. She was the first woman to be appointed to the Court.
Prior to O'Connor's appointment to the Court, she was an elected official and judge in Arizona.On July 1, 2005, she announced her intention to retire effective upon the confirmation of a successor.Samuel Alito was nominated to take her seat in October 2005, and joined the Court on January 31, 2006.
O'Connor tended to approach each case narrowly without arguing for sweeping precedents. She most frequently sided with the court's conservative bloc, although in the latter years of her tenure, she was regarded as having the swing opinion in many cases.
O'Connor was Chancellor of The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and currently serves on the board of trustees of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Several publications have named O'Connor among the most powerful women in the world.On August 12, 2009, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor of the United States, by President Barack Obama.

In office          September 21, 1981 – January 31, 2006
Appointed by       Ronald Reagan
Preceded by        Potter Stewart
Succeeded by      Samuel Alito
Personal details
Born                    March 26, 1930 (age 83)
                            El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Political party     Republican
Spouse(s)            John O'Connor (1952–2009) (His Death)
Children              3
Alma mater        Stanford University
                           Stanford Law School
Religion             Episcopal