Sandra Day O'Connor Brief Biography

Biography

For the past twenty-four years, 'Connor has served on the U.S. Supreme Court. She later studied at Stanford and in September of 1981 became the 102nd justice of the Supreme Court and the first female justice. Justice O'Connor announced her retirement on July 1, 2005.

Sandra Day O'Connor was born on March 26, 1930 in El Paso, Texas. Her parents owned the Lazy-B-Cattle Ranch (a 198,000 acre cattle ranch) in Southeastern Arizona. The ranch was without electricity and running water until Sandra was seven years old. She was an only child until she was eight. To pass by the loneliness, she had several pets, and always tricked the cowboys on the ranch. She enjoyed reading and could fire rifles and ride horses with precision by the time she turned eight. She also learned how to drive at age seven. Needless to say, Sandra Day was a remarkable female, even when she was just a child.

In 1950, Sandra Day began studying at Stanford University, where she received her B.A. in economics, and a Law degree in only two years. She was in the top third of her class of 102. She faced many problems being hired, despite her talent. Upon her return from Germany where her husband, John Jay O'Connor, served in the army while she served as a civilian lawyer in the Quartermaster's Corps, Sandra Day O'Connor started her own firm with a single partner. She dabbled in all different small cases, building up quite a reputation for herself. After a few years of volunteer work and mothering 3 children, she returned to work as an assistant state attorney general in Arizona. She went on to serve as an Arizona state senator for two years, and in 1974 served as judge on the Maricopa County Superior Court. In September of 1981, Sandra Day O'Connor became the first female member of the U.S. Supreme Court after being appointed by President Reagan. During her twenty-four year term, Justice O'Connor treated every case with individual treatment and sought practical conclusions. She served as a moderate and powerful Supreme Court justice. She has recently retired her position and Americans wait another Sandra Day.

*information from http://www.oyez.org/oyez/resource/legal_entity/102/biography