Books by Sandra Day O'Connor
Lazy B: Growing up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest
by Sandra Day O'Connor and H. Alan Day
The remarkable story of Sandra Day O’Connor’s family and early life, her journey to adulthood in the American Southwest that helped make her the woman she is today—the first female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and one of the most powerful women in America. In this illuminating and unusual book, Sandra Day O’Connor tells, with her brother, Alan, the story of the Day family, and of growing up on the harsh yet beautiful land of the Lazy B ranch in Arizona.
Laced throughout these stories about three generations of the Day family, and everyday life on the Lazy B, are the lessons Sandra and Alan learned about the world, self-reliance, and survival, and how the land, people, and values of the Lazy B shaped them. This fascinating glimpse of life in the Southwest in the last century recounts an important time in American history, and provides an enduring portrait of an independent young woman on the brink of becoming one of the most prominent figures in America.
Publisher: Random House, 2002
The Majesty of the Law: Reflections of a Supreme Court Justice
by Sandra Day O'Connor and Craig Joyce
In the Majesty of the Law, a national bestseller in hardcover, Sandra Day O’Connor explores the law, her life as a Supreme Court Justice, and how the Court has evolved and continues to function, grow, and change as an American institution. Tracing some of the origins of American law through history, people, ideas, and landmark cases, O’Connor sheds new light on the basics, exploring through personal observation the evolution of the Court and American democratic traditions. Straight-talking, clear-eyed, inspiring, The Majesty of the Law is more than a reflection on O’Connor’s own experiences as the first female Justice of the Supreme Court; it also reveals some of the things she has learned and believes about American law and life—reflections gleaned over her years as one of the most powerful and inspiring women in American history.
Publisher: Random House, 2003
Out of Order: Stories from the History of the Supreme Court
by Sandra Day O'Connor
New York Times Bestseller
“I called this book Out of Order because it reflects my goal, which is to share a different side of the Supreme Court. Most people know the Court only as it exists between bangs of the gavel, when the Court comes to order to hear arguments or give opinions. But the stories of the Court and the Justices that come from the ‘out of order’ moments add to the richness of the Court as both a branch of our government and a human institution.”
—Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
Publisher: Random House, March 5, 2013
Finding Susie
by Sandra Day O'Connor (Author), Tom Pohrt (Illustrator)
A “perfect pet” story from Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
Sandra is growing up on a desert ranch surrounded by animals, but she wants one to have her very own pet. A tortoise isn’t really friendly, a little rabbit is too fearful, and a young coyote howls to rejoin his pack. A bobcat almost fits the bill, but soon grows too big and fierce to be a housecat. Sandra’s parents let her learn for herself that these animals are best suited to the wild, though it is often hard to let them go. Finally, a smiley little stray dog finds Sandra. Sandra names the dog Susie, and the two become wonderful friends.
Chico
by Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra loves ranch life. Most of all, she loves riding her pony, Chico. But a ride to visit a new calf ends in a terrifying encounter with a rattlesnake. Sandra learns an important lesson about taking care of herself and her horse—and about overcoming her fears.
In this story, based on a true-life incident, young Sandra demonstrates the forthright spirit that gave her the courage and confidence to become the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court. Her adventure with Chico in the desert landscape is breathtakingly rendered by celebrated painter Dan Andreasen.
Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books, a Division of Penguin Young Readers Group, August 18, 2005.
Published Articles
1980-1989
- "Trends in the Relationship Between Federal and State Courts From the Perspective of a State Court Judge," 22 William and Mary Law Review 801-819 (1981).
- "What Individuals Can Do to Improve the Courts," 95 Los Angeles Daily Journal 4 (July 21, 1982).
- "Foreword (to Commemorative Edition: 75th Anniversary of New England School of Law)," 18 New England Law Review i-ii (1983).
- "Professional Competence and Social Responsibility: Fulfilling the Vanderbilt Vision (Speech Delivered at Dedication of Alyne Queener Massey Law Library at Vanderbilt University School of Law, Sept. 24, 1982)," 36 Vanderbilt Law Review 1-8 (Jan. 1983).
- "Our Judicial Federalism (Third Sumner Canary Lecture)," 35 Case Western Law Review 1-12 (1984).
- "Legal Education and Social Responsibility (Delivered at Fordham University, Oct. 24, 1984)," 53 Fordham Law Review 659-662 (1985).
- "The Moral Role of the Lawyer ," 19 Law Society Gazette 28-31 (Mar. 1985). (Address at Fordham University Law School Dedication, Oct. 24, 1984).
- "Swinford Lecture (Delivered at University of Kentucky on September 6, 1984)," 49 Kentucky Bench & Bar 20-22, 51-53 (Summer 1985).
- "Introduction: Achievements of Women in the Legal Profession," 57 New York State Bar Journal 8-10 (Oct. 1985).
- "Foreword: The Changing Role of the Circuit Justice," 17 University of Toledo Law Review 521 (1986).
- "Reflections on Preclusion of Judicial Review in England and the United States (Seventh Anglo-American Exchange: Judicial Review of Administrative and Regulatory Action)," 27 William and Mary Law Review 643-647 (Summer 1986).
- "Establishing Justice (Society's Thirteenth Annual Lecture)," Supreme Court Historical Society Yearbook 5-10 (1988).
- "George Mason--His Lasting Influence," in George Mason and the Legacy of Constitutional Liberty: an Examination of the Influence of George Mason on the American Bill of Rights, by Fairfax County History Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution, 117-127. Fairfax, Virginia:
- "Our Judicial Federalism," 15 Intergovernmental Perspective 8-12 (Summer 1989).
1990-1999
- "The Judiciary Act of 1789 and the American Judicial Tradition," 59 University of Cincinnati Law Review 1-13 (1990).
- "Women and the Constitution: a Bicentennial Perspective," 10 Women & Politics 5-16 (1990).
- "Portia's Progress," 66 New York University Law Review 1546-1558 (1991).
- "Supreme Court Justices From Georgia," 1 Georgia Journal of Southern Legal History 395-405 (1991).
- "Managing Courts in Changing Times," 63 New York State Bar Journal 8+ (Fall 1991).
- "Habeas Corpus and Judicial Federalism: Some Thoughts on Finality, Comity , and Error Correction," 1992 The Public Interest Law Review 3-9 (1992).
- "Keynote Address (Conference on Compelling Government Interests)," 55 Albany Law Review 535-547 (1992).
- "Meeting the Demand for Pro Bono Services," 2 Boston University Public Interest Law Journal 1-6 (1992).
- "They Often Are Half Obscure: The Rights of the Individual and the Legacy of Oliver W. Holmes," 29 San Diego Law Review 385-397 (1992).
- "Thurgood Marshall: The Influence of a Raconteur," 44 Stanford Law Review 1217-1220 (1992).
- "Warren E. Burger: Reflections of a Colleague," 74 Texas Law Review 209 (1995).
- "Keynote Speaker (Proceedings of the Middle Atlantic State - Federal Judicial Relationships Conference, November 1994)," 162 West's Federal Rules Decisions 180-84 (Sept. 1995).
- "Symposium Issue: Federalism of Free Nations," 28 New York University Journal of International Law & Politics 35 (Fall 1995/Winter 1996).
- "The Life of the Law: Principles of Logic and Experience From the United States - The Fairfield Lecture," 1996 Wisconsin Law Review 1 (1996).
- "The History of the Women's Suffrage Movement," 49 Vanderbilt Law Review 657-675 (April 1996).
- "Program III: Commentary (Organization of Justice in the Twenty-First Century)," 40 St. Louis University Law Journal 1063 (Summer 1996).
- "Religious Freedom: America's Quest for Principles," 48 Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly 1-9 (Spring 1997).
- "Juries: They May Be Broke, but We Can Fix Them," 44 The Federal Lawyer 20-25 (June 1997).
- "Lessons From the Third Sovereign; Indian Tribal Courts," 33 Tulsa Law Journal 1-6 (Fall 1997).
- "On Federalism: Preserving Strong Federal and State Courts," 35 Court Review 4 (Spring 1998).
- "Professionalism," 76 Washington University Law Quarterly 5-13 (Spring 1998).
- "CEELI Award Ceremony and Luncheon: ABA Annual Meeting, Speech," 42 Saint Louis University Law Journal 715-720 (Summer 1998).
- "Public Trust As a Dimension of Equal Justice: Some Suggestions to Increase Public Trust," 36 Court Review 10-13 (Fall 1999).
- "A Tribute to Lewis F. Powell, Jr.," 56 Washington and Lee Law Review 4-6 (Winter 1999).
2000-2009
- "The Legal Status of Women: the Journey Toward Equality," 15 Journal of Law and Religion 29 (2000/2001).
- "Courthouse Dedication: Justice O'Connor Reflects on Arizona's Judiciary," 43 Arizona Law Review 1 (Spring 2001).
- "Altered States: Federalism and Devolution at the 'Real' Turn of the Millennium (Inaugural Sir David Williams Lecture)," 60 Cambridge Law Journal 493-510 (Nov. 2001).
- "Copyright Law From an American Perspective," 37 The Irish Jurist 16 (2002).
- "Portia's Progress," in The Unpredictable Constitution, by Dorsen, Norman, editor, 57. New York: New York University Press, 2002.
- "William Howard Taft and the Importance of Unanimity," 28 Journal of Supreme Court History 157 (2003).
- Foreword to The Ambassador: Inside the Life of a Working Diplomat by John Shaw, Capital Books, Inc. (2006)
- "Not By Math Alone," Sandra Day O’Connor and Roy Romer, The Washington Post (2006).
- "The Threat to Judicial Independence," The Wall Street Journal (2006).
- "Fair and Independent Courts: A Conference on the State of the Judiciary," 95, Number 4 The Georgetown Law Journal (April 2007).
- "Turning Students Into Citizens: The Essential Role of Civic Education," The Washington Post (2007)
- "Justice for Sale: How Special-Interest Money Threatens the Integrity of Our Courts," The Wall Street Journal (2007)
- "Civics and Citizens," The Chautauquan Daily (August 2007)
- Foreword to When Courts & Congress Collide: The Struggle for Control of America’s Judicial System by Charles Gardner Geyh The University of Michigan Press (2008)
- "How to Save Our Courts," Parade Magazine (2008)
- "A Democracy Without Civics?" Sandra Day O’Connor and Lee H. Hamilton, Christian Science Monitor - Op-ed (September 2008)
- "What We Owe Our Young," Sandra Day O’Connor and James R. Jones, The Washington Post (2008)
- "To Defend Anwar is to Defend Malaysian Democracy," Sandra Day O’Connor and Abdurrahman Wahid, Financial Times (2008)
- "Judicial Accountability Must Safeguard, Not Threaten, Judicial Independence: An Introduction," Volume 86 Issue 1 by the Denver University Law Review (2008)
- "Balancing Security, Democracy, and Human Rights in an Age of Terrorism," Volume 47, No. 1 by the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law (2008)
- "Fair & Independent Courts," Daedalus, Journal of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (Fall 2008)
- "Guantanamo Bay: Legal Black Hole?," The Canterbury Law Review (2008)
- "Rural America - Gone but Not Forgotten," Cowboy National Poetry Gathering (2009)
- "Affirmative Action in Higher Education over the Next Twenty-Five Years: A Need for Study and Action," Sandra Day O’Connor and Stewart J. Schwab, in The Next Twenty-Five Years: Affirmative Action and Higher Education in the United States and South Africa by Marvin Krislov, David Featherman & Martin Hall, editors (Spring 2009)
2010-2019
- Foreword (A tribute to Chief Justice Ruth McGregor), Arizona State Law Journal (2010)
- "Celebrate America by Learning About Her," USA Today (2010)
- "Tribute to Justice Souter," Journal of Supreme Court History (2010)
- "Take Justice Off the Ballot," The New York Times (May 2010)
- "Choosing (and Recusing) Our State Court Justices Wisely": Keynote Remarks, Volume 99, Number 1 The Georgetown Law Journal (November 2010)
- "The Age of Alzheimer’s," Sandra Day O’Connor, Stanley Prusiner and Ken Dychtwald, The New York Times (October 28, 2010)
