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Sandra Day O'Connor, retired Supreme Court Justice, became the first female judge in 1981, and then one of the most influential members of the court, announced Tuesday that she was suffering from dementia and that She "can no longer participate in public life".
In a letter from his family, 88-year-old O'Connor said he wants to "be open about these changes and, even if I can, share some personal thoughts."
She added, "How lucky I feel to be an American and to have been made aware of the remarkable opportunities available to the citizens of our country. As a young cowgirl in the Arizona desert, I never imagined one day becoming the first female judge of the United States Supreme Court. "
O'Connor was appointed to court by President Ronald Reagan, who pledged to appoint the first female judge. She served for a quarter of a century before taking care of her husband, John, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Since she left the court, she has heard cases in courts of appeal throughout the country and promoted the teaching of civic education to students.
The non-profit organization that she founded, iCivics, has created 19 games and hundreds of digital lesson plans, on topics such as how to conduct a presidential campaign on the functioning of local governments . According to the foundation, its games were played more than 5 million times last year by students from kindergarten to grade 12.
O'Connor has been in poor health in recent years. Like other retired judges, she has the right to hire a clerk, but she hired them for the last time for the period beginning in October 2015.
The timing of this announcement appears to have been partly due to changes in the court. His son, Jay O'Connor, told the Associated Press that last year, the family had emptied his room at the court and examined hundreds of boxes of records and other items in the basement of the house. building.
Among the items donated to the court, the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian: A hammer used during his confirmation hearing in 1981, his presidential medal of freedom and his t-shirts made each year by an exercise class that she had started in front of the high court.
Judge Anthony M. Kennedy, who has just retired, moves into her office, opening a series of office changes to create space for Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh.
O'Connor, born in El Paso, Texas, lives near her home in Phoenix.
One of his last interviews took place in 2016, after the death of Judge Antonin Scalia. She stated that she did not agree with the strategy of the Republican Senators to keep the post open until the day after the presidential election.
In her letter on Tuesday, O'Connor said she hoped others would take the lead in promoting civic education and watch from the edge of the field.
"I am so attached to the subject because I have seen how important it is for all citizens to understand our Constitution and our unique system of government and to participate actively in the life of their communities," she wrote. .
The departure of Oconnor's court marked a moment very similar to that of today. She was perceived as a conservative moderate, with a pragmatic approach that often made it the pivotal member. She was replaced by Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr., who was more conservative and moved the court to the right.
The court is probably facing a similar move with conservative Kavanaugh replacing the more moderate Kennedy.
O'Connor was not always happy with the way the court changed after he left.
Interviewed in front of an audience in 2009, she said: "What would you feel? I would be a little disappointed. If you think you were useful and then dismantled, you say, "Oh, honey." But life goes on. It's not always positive.
O'Connor was thrilled to see three women on the field.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. in a joint statement called O'Connor a pioneer.
"Judge O'Connor is of course a major figure in the history of the United States and the world," he wrote. "It has broken down the barriers preventing women in the legal profession from advancing in this profession and across the country. It serves as a model not only for girls and women, but for all those who are committed to the equality of justice before the law. "
He said that he was not surprised that she took advantage of the opportunity "to think first of all about our country and to encourage increased commitment to the country." Civic education, a cause to which she has devoted so much time and indomitable energy ".
Robert Egge, Public Policy Officer for the Alzheimer's Association, said O'Connor had also been active in his association.
"Judge Sandra Day O'Connor, with her own experience fighting dementia, has incorporated this passion into her work as an essential member of the Alzheimer's Disease Study Group," Egge said. a statement. "She has played an important role in making Alzheimer's disease the national priority she's today."
There are now four retired judges of the Supreme Court. In addition to O'Connor and 82-year-old Kennedy, 79-year-old Judge David H. Souter continues to hear cases in the US Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit in Boston, and 98-year-old Judge John Paul Stevens speeches and writing books.
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