The Career of Sandra Day O'Connor
Maturing Opinions, And A Focus On Women
As she neared a decade of service on the Supreme Court, O'Connor's opinions began to take a more independent direction. Breaking from the conservative block, she became a swing vote that both ideological halves of the court would try to sway, though she maintained a strong focus on first amendment rights, discrimination and gender issues. She was the swing vote in a case that narrowed the scope of affirmative action, and in 1995 weakened a case regarding the Voting Rights Act which favored minority representation. O'Connor was strong on women's issues, upholding Roe v. Wade in a 1992 challenge to the decision, and regularly advocating for stronger job opportunity rights for women. She is pictured here in 1991 with the court's second female justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg.