O'Connor, Sandra Day

Sandra Day O'Connor was the first woman to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. She was nominated by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a unanimous vote of 99–0. She was sworn into office on September 25, 1981, and served on the court for more than 25 years.

Justice O'Connor's appointment to the Supreme Court was not without controversy, as she drew criticism from both conservatives and liberals. Conservatives were concerned about her lack of knowledge of constitutional matters and lack of experience in the federal court system. Meanwhile, liberals were concerned about her failure to indicate explicit support for feminist issues. Justice O'Connor's tenure on the bench, however, alleviated some of the concerns on both sides. She ...