Sandra Day O'Connor Facts
Sandra Day O'Connor Facts
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Interesting Sandra Day O'Connor Facts: |
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Although O'Connor did well in law school and made several professional connections that were useful in her later life, she found difficulty finding a job because of her sex throughout the 1950s. She even worked for free at times just to gain experience. |
O'Connor replaced Justice Potter Stewart on the Supreme Court, who was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958. |
Despite being considered a conservative Republican, many conservatives opposed Reagan's nomination of O'Connor when it was learned that while she was a member of the Arizona Senate she voted to repeal the state's ban on abortion. |
She was ultimately confirmed by the Senate in a 99-0 vote. |
When the Supreme Court became more evenly divided along political lines in the late 1990s, O'Connor was often the swing vote on 5-4 decisions. She usually voted with the conservatives, but sided with the liberals in a number of important cases. |
One of her more notable rulings was in Bush v. Gore (2000). In that case, O'Connor ruled with the other justices to end the challenges, thereby making George W. Bush the president. |
Although O'Connor believed that affirmative action programs shouldn't be a permanent part of the American legal and political landscape, she voted to uphold race based admissions to universities in Grotter v. Bollinger (2003). |
O'Connor never voted to severely limit abortion in any way, which was what conservative opponents of her nomination feared. She also voted against any added restrictions on abortion, such as the two parent notification law, which was struck down in Hodgson v. Minnesota (1990). |
After retiring from the Supreme Court, O'Connor spent time with her ailing husband and has taught, wrote, and given public talks about her experiences in law. |
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