10 Sensational Facts About Sandra Day O’Connor

Sandra Day O’Connor, Former Supreme Court Justice. Photo By University of Mount Union – Wikimedia Commons

10 Sensational Facts About Sandra Day O’Connor

Sandra Day O’Connor is an American Retired Justice of The Supreme Court of the United States. She was the first female Supreme Court justice and the first female majority leader of any state legislative upper house.

Sandra Day was born on 26^th March 1930 in El Pas, Texas. She was the daughter of Harry Alfred Day and his wife Ada Mae (Wilkey). She was the oldest in a family of three children

In 1952, She was married to John Jay O’Connor III, a prominent lawyer in Arizona. They were blessed with three sons and were together till John’s death in 2009.

Justice O’Connor’s remarkable Supreme Court tenure lasted close to 25yrs and played a crucial role in many key decisions. She was highly regarded as an independent thinker and a leader on the court.

1. Sandra Grew Up in a Ranch

The Day family had a vast ranch ‘The lazy B’, in Duncan, South-eastern Arizona. This is where Sandra and her siblings grew up. The ranch had no running water or electricity until much later. Life on the ranch wasn’t easy, everyone had to work to help around the ranch.

Sandra began driving as soon as she could see over the dashboard. She had to learn how to change flat tires by herself as a survival tactic. She would shoot coyotes and jackrabbits with her .22-caliber rifle.

She was a resourceful cowgirl who branded cattle and learnt to fix whatever was broken. Her experiences on the Lazy B helped shape her character as she developed her belief in hard work.

2. She Was a Clever Girl

Sandra Day O’Connor in 1983. Photo By Michael Evans – Wikimedia Commons

When Sandra started school, she went to live with her maternal grandma in El Paso. There were no good schools near the 198000 acres cattle ranch. She went to a private school, The Radford School for Girls. Her performance was excellent, so she skipped two grades.

After leaving Radford she proceeded to Austin High School in El Paso. She would come back to the ranch during the school holidays. She graduated high school 6^th in her class.

Sandra then went on to Stanford University when she was only 16years. She graduated with a B.A. in economics in 1950. She continued at Stanford Law School for her law degree. Her class had only four ladies. She worked hard and got distinctions, graduating 3rd in her class in 1952.

3. Getting a Job Was a Nightmare

No one told Sandra how hard it would be to build a career as a female lawyer. Even after graduating third in her class, no one gave her a job.

It was very frustrating because she had done very well in both undergraduate and law school. Her male classmates, even those whose performance wasn’t as good as hers, were getting employment. No one was willing to even interview her let alone employ her.

4. Sandra Had to Work for Free

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, with students at Wake Forest. Photo By kyle Tsui – Wikimedia Commons

Eventually, she landed an interview. One of the partners on the panel of interviewers wanted to know about her typing skills. He was willing to hire her as a secretary at the firm but not a lawyer.

Sandra was desperate for a job, so she offered to work for free without an office or a salary. For months she was sharing space with the secretary. Later they began to pay her a small salary. She was performing legal research, writing memos, and other secretarial duties.

She took a job as deputy county attorney in San Mateo, California. Later she moved to Germany.

5. She Took Time Off to Raise Her Sons

Sandra relocated to Germany with her husband. John O’Connor was a member of the Army’s Quartermaster Corps and worked as their attorney. Sandra was working as a civilian attorney specializing in contracts. They stayed there for three years before they returned to the U.S.

Upon their return, they settled in Maricopa County, Arizona, ready to start their family.

Sandra and John were blessed with 3 sons. Scott was born in 1958, Brian in 1960, and Jay was born in 1962. After Brian was born, she took a five-year timeout from law practice to raise her children.

6. Serving as Assistant Attorney General

President Reagan and his Supreme Court Justice nominee Sandra Day O’Connor at the White House. Photo By Reagan White House Photographs – Wikimedia

Together with another lawyer, she started her private practice. She took leave to raise her children shortly after.

During her time off from practicing law, she got involved in local politics and volunteered for community projects. Sandra also served as assistant attorney general of Arizona. Her role was to assist the chief law officer in the state. 

7. First Female Senate Majority Leader

She was appointed to the Arizona State Senate by the governor in 1969. After the end of that term, she vied and was re-elected for two more terms each lasting two years.

The Arizona senate picked her as the senate majority leader. She was the first female in that position in the United States.

8. First Female Supreme Court Justice

Sandra Day O’Connor Being Sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice by Chief Justice Warren Burger, Her Husband John O’Connor Looks On
Photo by The U.S. National Archives – Wikimedia

After serving in The Senate, she was elected judge of the Maricopa County Superior Court. After that, she was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals.

Next, President Reagan nominated her as an associate justice of the Supreme Court. Then a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee began. It was the first to be televised and lasted 3 days.

In the end, the Judiciary Committee approved her nomination. On 21st September 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor was confirmed by the United States Senate as the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court bench.

O’Connor served diligently until she retired in January 2006.

She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in August 2009

9. Sandra Beat Cancer

Lady Justice Sandra is a breast cancer survivor. She underwent a mastectomy in 1988. Luckily there has been no recurrence. Her appendix was removed that same year. She recently announced that she has dementia and retired from public life.

10. She is an author

President George W. Bush and Laura Bush welcome retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and her husband John J. O’Connor to the White House, for a retirement dinner in honor of Justice O’Connor.
Photo By White House – Wikimedia Commons

Sandra has authored several books. ‘Lazy B’  is one of her books that she co-wrote with her brother Alan Day. The book is a memoir focusing on her family’s ranch.

She’s also written ‘Out of Order’ which has stories from the History of the Supreme Court. Children’s books like Chico and Finding Susie, which are based on her childhood experiences, are also on her list of books.