Justice O’Connor declines 3 cases

WASHINGTON (AP) – Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor is refusing to participate in three of the 11 cases argued during the first week of the court’s 1981-82 term. The newest justice has disqualified herself from the three cases, a member of her staff said Friday, but Justice O’Connor will not say why she stepped aside. The three cases – involving insurance law, worker compensation and federal election financing, are to be decided by next June or July. Federal law and a judicial code of conduct requires federal judges to remove themselves from cases in which it might appear they have a conflict of interest. There are no hard rules for most such disqualifications. Many are left up to individual conscience. But a 1974 law requires disqualification from cases in which a judge has any direct financial interest, no matter how small. From information supplied by Justice O’Connor to the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearings last month, no financial reason for disqualification is apparent. Justice O’Connor told the committee she. would disqualify herself from all cases in which her husband ‘s Phoenix law firm “had ever participated as legal counsel for a party concerning the matter.”