Sandra Day O'Connor
Born 1930 · Age 95
American attorney, politician, and jurist; first woman to serve as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1981–2006); Arizona legislator and judge; founder of civic education initiatives including iCivics and the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in El Paso, Texas
Born Sandra Day on the Day family cattle ranch near Duncan, and in El Paso, Texas.
Learned to read at age four
Reportedly learned to read by age four while living on the Lazy B ranch.
Attended Radford School for Girls (began)
Sent to El Paso to live with her grandmother to attend school; attended Radford School for Girls.
Graduated Austin High School
Graduated Austin High School in El Paso at age 16.
Entered Stanford University
Accepted to Stanford University and began undergraduate studies (later Senior Class President).
Earned B.A. in Economics, Stanford
Graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Economics from Stanford University.
Hired as Deputy County Attorney, San Mateo County
Offered to work without pay and share office; began legal career as deputy county attorney.
Graduated Stanford Law School (LLB)
Graduated near top of class (Order of the Coif), served on Stanford Law Review; ranked third out of 102.
Married John Jay O'Connor III
Married fellow Stanford law student John Jay O'Connor III at the family ranch.
Civilian attorney, Quartermaster Market Center, Frankfurt
Worked as a civilian attorney in Frankfurt while husband served in the Army (specialized in contracts).
Returned to U.S.; settled in Phoenix, Arizona
Family returned from Germany and the O'Connors settled in Maricopa County; Sandra admitted to Arizona Bar and opened neighborhood law office.
Volunteered on Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign
Active in Republican politics and local volunteer organizations during hiatus from full-time practice.
Appointed Assistant Attorney General of Arizona
Returned to full-time work as one of Arizona's assistant attorneys general (served through 1969).
Appointed to Arizona State Senate
Appointed by Governor Jack Williams to fill a vacant state senate seat after incumbent resigned.
Elected to Arizona State Senate
Won election to retain the appointed seat; then reelected in 1972.
First woman to serve as State Senate Majority Leader
Chosen by colleagues as Republican Majority Leader — the first woman in the U.S. to be majority leader of a state senate.
Elected Maricopa County Superior Court Judge
Ran for and was elected a trial judge on the Maricopa County Superior Court (took office Jan 1975).
Began service on Maricopa County Superior Court
Served as Superior Court judge (Division 31) from Jan 9, 1975 to Dec 14, 1979.
Appointed to Arizona Court of Appeals (Division One)
Appointed by Governor Bruce Babbitt; served on the Court of Appeals until Supreme Court appointment.
Announced as Supreme Court nominee (Reagan pledge kept)
President Ronald Reagan announced he would nominate O'Connor to the U.S. Supreme Court (first woman nominee promise fulfilled).
Formally nominated to U.S. Supreme Court
President Reagan formally nominated O'Connor as Associate Justice to replace Potter Stewart.
First televised Supreme Court confirmation hearings begin
Senate Judiciary Committee hearings (Sept 9–11, 1981) — first televised confirmation hearings for a Supreme Court justice.
Confirmed unanimously by U.S. Senate
Senate confirmation vote 99–0 (one absent), making O'Connor the first woman on the Supreme Court.
Sworn in as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
Became first female Associate Justice; sworn in by Chief Justice Warren Burger.
Authored opinion: Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan
Wrote opinion invalidating women-only policy at a state nursing school as perpetuating stereotypes.
Received over 60,000 public letters in first year on the Court
In her first year on the Court, received more than any other justice in history to that point.
Co-authored lead opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey
One of three co-authors of the plurality opinion that preserved the core holding of Roe v. Wade and articulated the 'undue burden' standard.
Authored opinion in Shaw v. Reno
Wrote majority opinion restricting some race-based redistricting (5–4 decision).
Authored majority ruling in Davis v. Monroe County Bd. of Ed.
Wrote opinion holding that school districts receiving federal funds can be liable for student-on-student sexual harassment if they are 'deliberately indifferent'.
Voted with majority in Stenberg v. Carhart
Joined 5–4 majority that struck down state laws banning what critics called 'partial-birth' abortion.
Joined majority in Bush v. Gore decision
Joined the per curiam decision that ended the Florida recount and effectively decided the 2000 presidential election.
Co-authored 'Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch' (publication)
Co-wrote memoir of childhood on the family Lazy B ranch with brother H. Alan Day (published 2002).
Authored majority opinion in Grutter v. Bollinger
Wrote opinion upholding the limited use of race in university admissions, opining affirmative action should not be permanent.
Published 'The Majesty of the Law'
Wrote a book reflecting on her experiences as a Supreme Court Justice (2003).
First woman senior justice to preside over oral arguments
Presided over oral arguments in Kelo v. City of New London with Rehnquist and Stevens absent; first woman to do so.
Announced retirement from Supreme Court
Announced retirement effective upon confirmation of her successor; cited desire to spend time with husband.
Became Chancellor of College of William & Mary
Succeeded Henry Kissinger as Chancellor on Oct 1, 2005 (served until Feb 3, 2012).
Distinguished Jurist in Residence, Univ. of Arizona
Began teaching a week-long Supreme Court course each spring semester (Spring 2006).
Left Supreme Court (retirement effective)
Samuel Alito was sworn in as her successor on Jan 31, 2006; O'Connor's active service ended.
ASU Law renamed Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law (date contested)
Arizona State University law school was officially renamed for O'Connor; multiple sources show April 5 and Nov 17, 2006.
Founded O'Connor House (501(c)(3))
Founded the nonprofit O'Connor House dedicated to solving complex issues through civil discourse (2009).
Launched Our Courts website
Launched Our Courts (Feb 2009), offering interactive civics lessons; later expanded to iCivics.
iCivics expansion
Our Courts initiative expanded and became iCivics in May 2010 (planning and early expansion in 2009).
Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
Received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama (Aug 12, 2009).
Co-Chair, National Advisory Board, National Institute for Civil Discourse
Became Co-Chair of NICD's National Advisory Board (created after 2011 Tucson shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords).
Joined Justice at Stake as Honorary Chair
Announced as Honorary Chair of Justice at Stake, a national judicial reform advocacy organization.
The Four Justices portrait arrives at National Portrait Gallery
Nelson Shanks's 'The Four Justices' (tribute to four female justices including O'Connor) celebrated at Smithsonian (Oct 28, 2013).
O'Connor House becomes Sandra Day O'Connor Institute
In March 2015 O'Connor House formally became the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute; O'Connor served as Founder and Advisor.
Arizona declares 'Sandra Day O'Connor Day'
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey declared Sept 25, 2018 as Sandra Day O'Connor Day in recognition of her swearing-in anniversary.
Announced early-stage Alzheimer's diagnosis
Announced in a letter she was in the early stages of what is likely Alzheimer's disease and would retire from public life.
O'Connor House added to National Register of Historic Places
The home where O'Connor lived from 1958 to 1981 was added to the National Register (July 18, 2019).
Died in Phoenix, Arizona
Passed away on Dec 1, 2023 at age 93; at time of death she was the last living member of the Burger Court.
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