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Sandra Day O'Connor: Her Life and Legacy: United States Supreme Court Opinions

On April 5, 2006, ASU Law was officially renamed the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. It was the first law school to be named after a woman.

Civil Rights

Ford Motor Co. v. EEOC., 458 U.S. 219 (1982).

Tower v. Glover, 467 U.S. 914 (1984).

North Carolina Department of Transportation v. Crest Street Community Council, Inc., 479 U.S. 6 (1986).

Forrester v. White, 484 U.S. 219 (1988).

City of St. Louis v. Praprotnik, 485 U.S. 112 (1988).

United States v. Kozminski, 487 U.S. 931 (1988).

Watson v. Fort Worth Bank and Trust, 487 U.S. 977 (1988).

City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co., 488 U.S. 469 (1989).

Texas State Teachers Ass'n v. Garland Independent School District, 489 U.S. 782 (1989).

Jett v. Dallas Independent School District, 491 U.S. 701 (1989).

Gregory v. Ashcroft, 501 U.S. 452 (1991).

Hafer v. Melo, 502 U.S. 21 (1991).

Wyatt v. Cole, 504 U.S. 158 (1992).

Hazen Paper Co. v. Biggins, 507 U.S. 604 (1993).

Harris v. Forklift Systems, Inc., 510 U.S. 17 (1993).

Board of County Commissioners, Wabaunsee County, Kan. v. Umbehr, 518 U.S. 668 (1996).

Blessing v. Freestone, 520 U.S. 329 (1997).

Board of County Commissioners of Bryan County, Okl. v. Brown, 520 U.S. 397 (1997). 

Gebser v. Lago Vista Independent School District, 524 U.S. 274 (1998).

Davis Next Friend LaShonda D. v. Monroe County Board of Education, 526 U.S. 629 (1999).

Sutton v. United Air Lines, Inc., 527 U.S. 471 (1999).

Murphy v. United Parcel Service, Inc., 527 U.S. 516 (1999).

Kolstad v. American Dental Ass'n, 527 U.S. 526 (1999).

Kimel v. Florida Board of Regents, 528 U.S. 62 (2000).

Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Products, Inc., 530 U.S. 133 (2000).

Toyota Motor Mfg., Kentucky, Inc. v. Williams, 534 U.S. 184 (2002).

Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003).

Nelson v. Campbell, 541 U.S. 637 (2004).

Jackson v. Birmingham Board Of Education, 544 U.S. 167 (2005).

Criminal Law and Procedure

Rose v. Lundy, 455 U.S. 509 (1982).

McElroy v. United States, 455 U.S. 642 (1982).

Engle v. Isaac, 456 U.S. 107 (1982).

United States v. Frady, 456 U.S. 152 (1982).

Tibbs v. Florida, 457 U.S. 31 (1982).

South Dakota v. Neville, 459 U.S. 553 (1983).

Kolender v. Lawson, 461 U.S. 352 (1983).

Bearden v. Georgia, 461 U.S. 660 (1983).

United States v. Place, 462 U.S. 696 (1983).

California v. Ramos, 463 U.S. 992 (1983).

Michigan v. Long, 463 U.S. 1032 (1983).

McKaskle v. Wiggins, 465 U.S. 168 (1984).

Flanagan v. United States, 465 U.S. 259 (1984).

Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984).

Arizona v. Rumsey, 467 U.S. 203 (1984).

INS v. Lopez-Mendoza, 468 U.S. 1032 (1984).

United States v. Hensley, 469 U.S. 221 (1985).

United States v. Johns, 469 U.S. 478 (1985).

Oregon v. Elstad, 470 U.S. 298 (1985).

Black v. Romano, 471 U.S. 606 (1985).

Maryland v. Macon, 472 U.S. 463 (1985).

Heath v. Alabama, 474 U.S. 82 (1985).

Miller v. Fenton, 474 U.S. 104 (1985).

New York v. Class, 475 U.S. 106 (1986).

Whitley v. Albers, 475 U.S. 312 (1986).

Moran v. Burbine, 475 U.S. 412 (1986).

Crane v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 683 (1986).

Murray v. Carrier, 477 U.S. 478 (1986).

Smith v. Murray, 477 U.S. 527 (1986).

Tison v. Arizona, 481 U.S. 137 (1987).

California v. Superior Court of California, San Bernardino County, 482 U.S. 400 (1987).

Miller v. Florida, 482 U.S. 423 (1987).

Tanner v. United States, 483 U.S. 107 (1987).

Satterwhite v. Texas, 486 U.S. 249 (1988).

United States v. Kozminski, 487 U.S. 931 (1988).

Teague v. Lane, 489 U.S. 288 (1989).

Penry v. Lynaugh, 492 U.S. 302 (1989).

Baltimore City Department of Social Services v. Bouknight, 493 U.S. 549 (1990).

Lewis v. Jeffers, 497 U.S. 764 (1990).

Idaho v. Wright, 497 U.S. 805 (1990).

Maryland v. Craig, 497 U.S. 836 (1990).

United States v. R. Enterprises, Inc., 498 U.S. 292 (1991).

Parker v. Dugger, 498 U.S. 308 (1991).

County of Riverside v. McLaughlin, 500 U.S. 44 (1991).

Michigan v. Lucas, 500 U.S. 145 (1991).

Florida v. Bostick, 501 U.S. 429 (1991).

Coleman v. Thompson, 501 U.S. 722 (1991).

Simon & Schuster, Inc. v. Members of New York State Crime Victims Board, 502 U.S. 105 (1991).

Hudson v. McMillian, 503 U.S. 1 (1992).

Williams v. United States, 503 U.S. 193 (1992).

Riggins v. Nevada, 504 U.S. 127 (1992).

Parke v. Raley, 506 U.S. 20 (1992).

Richmond v. Lewis, 506 U.S. 40 (1992).

Zafiro v. United States, 506 U.S. 534 (1993).

Arave v. Creech, 507 U.S. 463 (1993).

United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725 (1993).

Smith v. United States, 508 U.S. 223 (1993).

Schiro v. Farley, 510 U.S. 222 (1994).

Caspari v. Bohlen, 510 U.S. 383 (1994).

Victor v. Nebraska, 511 U.S. 1 (1994).

Beecham v. United States, 511 U.S. 368 (1994).

Davis v. United States, 512 U.S. 452 (1994).

Williamson v. United States, 512 U.S. 594 (1994).

United States v. Shabani, 513 U.S. 10 (1994).

Harris v. Alabama, 513 U.S. 504 (1995).

Witte v. United States, 515 U.S. 389 (1995).

Libretti v. United States, 516 U.S. 29 (1995).

Bailey v. United States, 516 U.S. 137 (1995).

Lewis v. United States, 518 U.S. 322 (1996).

United States v. Gonzales, 520 U.S. 1 (1997).

Monge v. California, 524 U.S. 721 (1998).

O'Sullivan v. Boerckel, 526 U.S. 838 (1999).

Roe v. Flores-Ortega, 528 U.S. 470 (2000).

Williams v. Taylor, 529 U.S. 362 (2000).

City of Indianapolis v. Edmond, 531 U.S. 32 (2000).

Seling v. Young, 531 U.S. 250 (2001).

Daniels v. US, 532 U.S. 374 (2001).

Lackawanna County District Attorney v. Coss, 532 U.S. 394 (2001).

Rogers v. Tennessee, 532 U.S. 451 (2001).

Penry v. Johnson, 532 U.S. 782 (2001).

Duncan v. Walker, 533 U.S. 167 (2001).

Ewing v. California, 538 U.S. 11 (2003).

Lockyer v. Andrade, 538 U.S. 63 (2003).

Wiggins v. Smith, 539 U.S. 510 (2003).

Fellers v. US, 540 U.S. 519 (2004).

Dretke v. Haley, 541 U.S. 386 (2004).

Nelson v. Campbell, 541 U.S. 637 (2004).

Tennard v. Dretke, 542 U.S. 274 (2004).

Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 542 U.S. 507 (2004).

Whitfield v. US, 543 U.S. 209 (2005).

Rhines v. Weber, 544 U.S. 269 (2005).

Bradshaw v. Stumpf, 545 U.S. 175 (2005).

Dodd v. US, 545 U.S. 353 (2005).

Due Process

Engle v. Isaac, 456 U.S. 107 (1982).

Landon v. Plasencia, 459 U.S. 21 (1982).

South Dakota v. Neville, 459 U.S. 553 (1983).

Kolender v. Lawson, 461 U.S. 352 (1983).

United States v. Eight Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($8,850) in United States Currency, 461 U.S. 555 (1983).

Black v. Romano, 471 U.S. 606 (1985).

Superintendent, Massachusetts Correctional Institution, Walpole v. Hill, 472 U.S. 445 (1985).

Whitley v. Albers, 475 U.S. 312 (1986).

Moran v. Burbine, 475 U.S. 412 (1986).

Crane v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 683 (1986).

Lyng v. Payne, 476 U.S. 926 (1986).

Asahi Metal Industry Co., Ltd. v. Superior Court of California, Solano, 480 U.S. 102 (1987).

Tulsa Professional Collection Services, Inc. v. Pope, 485 U.S. 478 (1988).

Schweiker v. Chilicky, 487 U.S. 412 (1988).

Penry v. Lynaugh, 492 U.S. 302 (1989).

FW/PBS, Inc. v. City of Dallas, 493 U.S. 215 (1990).

American Trucking Associations, Inc. v. Smith, 496 U.S. 167 (1990).

Lewis v. Jeffers, 497 U.S. 764 (1990).

General Motors Corp. v. Romein, 503 U.S. 181 (1992).

Riggins v. Nevada, 504 U.S. 127 (1992).

Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992).

Parke v. Raley, 506 U.S. 20 (1992).

Arave v. Creech, 507 U.S. 463 (1993).

Victor v. Nebraska, 511 U.S. 1 (1994).

Reich v. Collins, 513 U.S. 106 (1994).

National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley, 524 U.S. 569 (1998).

Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (2000).

Seling v. Young, 531 U.S. 250 (2001).

Rogers v. Tennessee, 532 U.S. 451 (2001).

City of Cuyahoga Falls v. Buckeye Community Hope Foundation, 538 U.S. 188 (2003).

Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 542 U.S. 507 (2004).

Employment and Labor

U. S. v. Clark, 454 U.S. 555 (1982).

Ford Motor Co. v. E. E. O. C., 458 U.S. 219 (1982).

Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, United States Department of Labor v. Perini, 459 U.S. 297 (1983).

Sure-Tan, Inc. v. NLRB, 467 U.S. 883 (1984).

Brown v. Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders Intern. Union, 468 U.S. 491 (1984).

Wimberly v. Labor and Indus. Relations Commission of Missouri, 479 U.S. 511 (1987).

O'Connor v. Ortega, 480 U.S. 709 (1987).

Pilot Life Ins. Co. v. Dedeaux, 481 U.S. 41 (1987).

Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. v. Taylor, 481 U.S. 58 (1987).

Regents of University of California v. Public Employment Relations Board, 485 U.S. 589 (1988).

Watson v. Fort Worth Bank and Trust, 487 U.S. 977 (1988).

Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. v. Bruch, 489 U.S. 101 (1989).

Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Independent Federation of Flight Attendants, 489 U.S. 426 (1989).

FMC Corp. v. Holliday, 498 U.S. 52 (1990).

Ingersoll-Rand Co. v. McClendon, 498 U.S. 133 (1990).

General Motors Corp. v. Romein, 503 U.S. 181 (1992).

Gade v. National Solid Wastes Management Ass'n, 505 U.S. 88 (1992).

Hazen Paper Co. v. Biggins, 507 U.S. 604 (1993).

Harris v. Forklift Systems, Inc., 510 U.S. 17 (1993).

Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Department of Labor v. Greenwich Collieries, 512 U.S. 267 (1994).

Curtiss-Wright Corp. v. Schoonejongen, 514 U.S. 73 (1995).

Chandris, Inc. v. Latsis, 515 U.S. 347 (1995).

Ingalls Shipbuilding, Inc. v. Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Department of Labor, 519 U.S. 248 (1997).

Inter-Modal Rail Employees Ass'n v. Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Ry., 520 U.S. 510 (1997).

Marquez v. Screen Actors Guild, Inc., 525 U.S. 33 (1998).

Sutton v. United Air Lines, Inc., 527 U.S. 471 (1999).

Murphy v. United Parcel Service, Inc., 527 U.S. 516 (1999).

Kolstad v. American Dental Ass'n, 527 U.S. 526 (1999).

Kimel v. Florida Board of Regents, 528 U.S. 62 (2000).

Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Products, Inc., 530 U.S. 133 (2000).

Toyota Motor Mfg., Kentucky, Inc. v. Williams, 534 U.S. 184 (2002).

BE&K Const. Co. v. NLRB, 536 U.S. 516 (2002).

First Amendment

BE&K Const. Co. v. NLRB, 536 U.S. 516 (2002).

McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, 540 U.S. 93 (2003).

Virginia v. Black, 538 U.S. 343 (2003).

City of Los Angeles v. Alameda Books, 535 U.S. 425 (2002).

Thompson v. Western States Medical Center, 535 U.S. 357 (2002).

Lorillard Tobacco Co. v. Reilly, 533 U.S. 525 (2001).

City of Erie v. Pap's A.M., 529 U.S. 277 (2000).

National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley, 524 U.S. 569 (1998).

Agostini v. Felton, 521 U.S. 203 (1997).

Board of County Commissioners, Wabaunsee County, Kan. v. Umbehr, 518 U.S. 668 (1996).

Florida Bar v. Went For It, Inc., 515 U.S. 618 (1995).

Waters v. Churchill, 511 U.S. 661 (1994).

Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992).

Simon & Schuster, Inc. v. Members of New York State Crime Victims Board, 502 U.S. 105 (1991).

Leathers v. Medlock, 499 U.S. 439 (1991).

United States v. Kokinda, 497 U.S. 720 (1990).

Board of Education of Westside Community Schools v. Mergens By and Through Mergens, 496 U.S. 226 (1990).

Jimmy Swaggart Ministries v. Board of Equalization of California, 493 U.S. 378 (1990).

FW/PBS, Inc. v. City of Dallas, 493 U.S. 215 (1990).

Massachusetts v. Oakes, 491 U.S. 576 (1989).

Frisby v. Schultz, 487 U.S. 474 (1988).

Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Ass'n, 485 U.S. 439 (1988).

Boos v. Barry, 485 U.S. 312 (1988).

Turner v. Safley, 482 U.S. 78 (1987).

Board of Airport Commissioners of City of Los Angeles v. Jews for Jesus, Inc., 482 U.S. 569 (1987).

Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. Hepps, 475 U.S. 767 (1986).

Cornelius v. NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., 473 U.S. 788 (1985).

United States v. Albertini, 472 U.S. 675 (1985).

Minnesota State Board for Community Colleges v. Knight, 465 U.S. 271 (1984).

Minneapolis Star and Tribune Co. v. Minnesota Commissioner of Revenue, 460 U.S. 575 (1983).

California v. Grace Brethren Church, 457 U.S. 393 (1982).

Fourteenth Amendment

Lingle v. Chevron, 544 U.S. 528 (2005).

Johnson v. California, 543 U.S. 499 (2005).

Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 542 U.S. 507 (2004).

Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003).

City of Cuyahoga Falls v. Buckeye Community Hope Foundation, 538 U.S. 188 (2003).

Penry v. Johnson, 532 U.S. 782 (2001).

Rogers v. Tennessee, 532 U.S. 451 (2001).

Seling v. Young, 531 U.S. 250 (2001).

Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (2000).

Kimel v. Florida Board of Regents, 528 U.S. 62 (2000).

Bush v. Vera, 517 U.S. 952 (1996).

United States v. Hays, 515 U.S. 737 (1995).

Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena, 515 U.S. 200 (1995).

Reich v. Collins, 513 U.S. 106 (1994).

Victor v. Nebraska, 511 U.S. 1 (1994).

Shaw v. Reno, 509 U.S. 630 (1993).

Arave v. Creech, 507 U.S. 463 (1993).

Voinovich v. Quilter, 507 U.S. 146 (1993).

Parke v. Raley, 506 U.S. 20 (1992).

Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992).

Riggins v. Nevada, 504 U.S. 127 (1992).

General Motors Corp. v. Romein, 503 U.S. 181 (1992).

Gregory v. Ashcroft, 501 U.S. 452 (1991).

Parker v. Dugger, 498 U.S. 308 (1991).

American Trucking Associations, Inc. v. Smith, 496 U.S. 167 (1990).

FW/PBS, Inc. v. City of Dallas, 493 U.S. 215 (1990).

Penry v. Lynaugh, 492 U.S. 302 (1989).

Teague v. Lane, 489 U.S. 288 (1989).

City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co., 488 U.S. 469 (1989).

Kadrmas v. Dickinson Public Schools, 487 U.S. 450 (1988).

Clark v. Jeter, 486 U.S. 456 (1988).

Tulsa Professional Collection Services, Inc. v. Pope, 485 U.S. 478 (1988).

Boos v. Barry, 485 U.S. 312 (1988).

Asahi Metal Industry Co., Ltd. v. Superior Court of California, Solano, 480 U.S. 102 (1987).

Crane v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 683 (1986).

Moran v. Burbine, 475 U.S. 412 (1986).

Whitley v. Albers, 475 U.S. 312 (1986).

Superintendent, Massachusetts Correctional Institution, Walpole v. Hill, 472 U.S. 445 (1985).

Black v. Romano, 471 U.S. 606 (1985).

Hawaii Housing Authority v. Midkiff, 467 U.S. 229 (1984).

Minnesota State Board for Community Colleges v. Knight, 465 U.S. 271 (1984).

California v. Ramos, 463 U.S. 992 (1983).

Kolender v. Lawson, 461 U.S. 352 (1983).

Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan, 458 U.S. 718 (1982).

Engle v. Isaac, 456 U.S. 107 (1982).

Sandra Day O'Connor being sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice by Chief Justice Warren Burger as her husband John O'Connor looks on. September 25, 1981

Yes, I will bring the understanding of a woman to the Court, but I doubt that alone will affect my decisions. I think the important thing about my appointment is not that I will decide cases as a woman, but that I am a woman who will get to decide cases.

  - Sandra Day O'Connor

SDOC Quote

As a young cowgirl from the Arizona desert, I never could have imagined that one day I  would become the first woman justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
 -  Sandra Day O'Connor

Ronald Reagan Nominates Sandra Day O'Connor to the United States Supreme Court on August 19, 1981

Sandra Day O'Connor was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Reagan on August 19, 1981, thus fulfilling his 1980 campaign promise to appoint the first woman to the highest court in the United States. During a commencement speech at Stanford, Sandra Day O’Connor reflected on her appointment by President Reagan: His decision was as much a surprise to me as it was to the nation as a whole. But Ronald Reagan knew that his decision wasn’t about Sandra Day O’Connor; it was about women everywhere. It was about a nation that was on its way to bridging a chasm between genders that had divided us for too long.

Sandra Day O'Connor Resigns from the Supreme Court on July 1, 2005

On July 5, 2005, after 24 years as an associate justice, Sandra Day O'Connor sent a resignation letter to President George W. Bush.  Justice O'Connor retired, in part, to spend more time with her husband who was in poor health.