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Washington, Dec 1 (EFE).- Former United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to hold the position of judge on the Supreme Court, died this Friday at the age of 93, the body reported in a statement.
O’Connor died in Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday “from complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimer’s, and a respiratory illness,” the Supreme Court noted.
The judge was appointed to the Court by Republican President Ronald Reagan and served from 1981 to 2006.
Before an ideologically divided court, her independence made her vote fundamental in important litigation and made her considered one of the most powerful women of her time.
Following her retirement from the Supreme Court on January 31, 2006, Justice O’Connor remained active as an advocate for judicial independence and the rule of law around the world.
In recognition of her life’s achievements, President Barack Obama awarded Judge O’Connor the country’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, on August 12, 2009. EFE
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