Sandra Day O'Connor Quotes
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What the framers of the Constitution tried to achieve when they wrote that Constitution back in the 1700s was an independent federal judiciary. They wanted federal judges to be appointed by the president, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and to serve for good behavior.
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I suspect that over time we will rely increasingly, or take notice at least increasingly, on international and foreign courts in examining domestic issues. Doing so may not only enrich our own country's decisions, I think it may create that all important good impression.
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I'm a judge. It seemed to me that it was critical to try to take action to stem the criticism and help people understand that in the constitutional framework, it's terribly important not to have a system of retaliation against decisions people don't like.
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We hold that the reckless disregard for human life implicit in knowingly engaging in criminal activity known to carry a grave risk of death represents a highly culpable mental state that may be taken into account in making a capital sentencing judgment not inevitable, lethal result.
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It is true that as you have children, there are a good many months when you don't want to be working full-time. I agree that that's an issue.
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The members of the court were just delighted to have a ninth member - male or female. They were all kind and welcoming.
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In my work a good library is essential. It enables me to learn the background and previous discussions of the various issues I am called upon to decide. It provides the stability and continuity for the rule of law.
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Historically courts in this country have been insulated. We do not look beyond our borders for precedents.
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The destiny of the woman must be shaped to a large extent on her own conception of her spiritual imperative and her place in society.
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When I went to law school, which after all was back in the dark ages, we never looked beyond our borders for precedents. As a state court judge, it never would have occurred to me to do so, and when I got to the Supreme Court, it was very much the same. We just didn't do it.
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(W)e do not count heads before enforcing the First Amendment.
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I like to think that the court will continue to be held in high regard by the public. I think it should be.
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Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party, but the fallout from this decision will not be random. The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms. As for the victims, the government now has license to transfer property from those with fewer resources to those with more. The Founders cannot have intended this perverse result.
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Parents should continue to become more involved with their communities, and more involved in their children's education.
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Yes, I will bring the understanding of a woman to the Court, but I doubt that alone will affect my decisions.
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I think I learned to appreciate and treasure each day, because you don't know how many you're going to be given.
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I care very much about women and their progress. I didn’t go march in the streets, but when I was in the Arizona Legislature, one of the things that I did was to examine every single statute in the state of Arizona to pick out the ones that discriminated against women and get them changed.
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Having family responsibilities and concerns just has to make you a more understanding person.
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I had become increasingly concerned in recent years about the lack of civics education in our nation's schools. In recent years, the schools have stopped teaching it. And it's unfortunate.
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Those who would renegotiate the boundaries between church and state must therefore answer a difficult question: why would we trade a system that has served us so well for one that has served others so poorly?
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The whole idea of a public education was to train young people about how our system of government works, so they could be good citizens and be part of it. We're not doing that today.
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The purpose prong of the Lemon test requires that a government activity have a secular purpose. That requirement is not satisfied, however, by the mere existence of some secular purpose, however dominated by religious purposes... The proper inquiry under the purpose prong of Lemon, I submit, is whether the government intends to convey a message of endorsement or disapproval of religion.
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Suppose you had a cross burning in a play or a movie... Would that be intimidating?
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The family unit plays a critical role in our society and in the training of the generation to come.