Law review article, Speech

Professional Competence and Social Responsibility: Fulfilling the Vanderbilt Vision

Law review article, Speech / By

VANDERBILT LAW REVIEW

VOLUME 36 JANUARY 1983 NUMBER 1

Professional Competence and Social Responsibility: Fulfilling the Vanderbilt Vision*

Sandra Day O’Connor**

It is a great pleasure to visit Vanderbilt Law School and to dedicate the Alyne Queener Massey Library. The University is for tunate to have friends like the Masseys who, by their generous gift, carry on a proud and honorable tradition. That tradition began in 1873 when Commodore Vanderbilt provided Bishop McTyeire with the gift that resulted in the establishment of this splendid university.

Sir Walter Scott once said that “a lawyer without history or literature is a mechanic, a mere working mason; if he possesses some knowledge of these, he may venture to call himself an architect. If I may “build” on Sir Walter’s concept, I would add that before a lawyer is entitled to think of himself or herself as an “ar chitect,” two additional attributes-professional competence, and social responsibility are needed. While a background of history and literature is provided by the liberal education that American law schools typically encourage prior to the formal study of the law, it is the law school that bears the heavy responsibility of providing training to prospective lawyers in the areas of professional compe tence and the ethical practice of law.

On this occasion of dedicating the Alyne Massey library, Van-

* Copyright c by Sandra D. O’Connor. This speech was delivered at the dedication of the Alyne Queener Massey

Arizona Business Gazette, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection

O’Connor urges state control in civil rights damage cases

Arizona Business Gazette, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection / By

WASHINGTON – A Supreme Court justice has hinted strongly to Congress that a key case will be decided in favor of keeping federal courts open for the growing volume of civil rights damage claims. The highly unusual hint came March 9 in testimony by the newest justice, Sandra Day O’Connor, before the House Appropriations Subcommittee that is studying the court’s $14.9 million budget request. The issue arises in a pending Florida case that has the potential of cutting off many civil rights cases. She did not say, in so many words, how the court would rule. But she did urge Congress to pass a law to achieve that result by requiring most civil rights cases to be pursued first with state agencies, instead of going directly to the federal courthouse. It would not be necessary for Congress to act, of course, if the justices were to interpret present law to give state agencies priority in handling such cases. Asked after the hearing if the issue she had discussed were not the same one now under review by the court in the Florida case, O’Connor replied: “I will rest on what I said.” Just two weeks ago, the court heard lawyers argue the case. Under normal procedures, the justices would have cast their preliminary vote on the case at their secret conference on Friday. O’Connor’s promotion of a federal law to shunt more civil rights cases to state agencies echoed a proposal she made in a law review article last summer, before she was chosen for the Supreme Court. An Arizona appeals court

Interview

Interview with Sen. Dennis DeConcini and Rep. John Shadegg

Interview / By

Sandra Day O’Connor It’s so nice to have you both at O’Connor house. And we have two significantly political figures with us at O’Connor house today. And they’re helping us celebrate Arizona centennial. We’ve had 12 United States senators from Arizona over the last hundred years. And only three of them are alive today. And we have one of them here today. And it is senator Dennis Deacon see me and Dennis served three terms in the United States Senate. So welcome, Dennis Dennis DeConcini O’Connor to O’Connor. Thank you, Your Honor. Be Sandra Day O’Connor careful about that. Dennis DeConcini I’m so used to saying that because my father was a judge as you know And Sandra Day O’Connor he was on the Arizona Supreme Court. John Shadegg Forgive me for going Dennis DeConcini off the subject. But I always say, you know, in my house, you always address your father. Your Sandra Day O’Connor Honor, honor. Yes. Good. Good. And congressman john Shattuck is also here with us today. He served eight terms in the House of Representatives. And you’re still there. Isn’t that right? John Shadegg No, I retired at the beginning of this term Sandra Day O’Connor and you were replaced. I was replaced. Nobody can replace that. Somebody holds an office. Somebody holds my see. Okay. Well, we welcome you to well, Connor house today. It’s a pleasure. And both of you come from politically active families. You weren’t the first In either case and your families to be interested in Arizona’s political

Interview

Interview with Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano

Interview / By

Sandra Day O’Connor
Secretary Napolitano. What a pleasure it is to be back in Arizona and talk a little on this occasion of Arizona’s hundredth birthday. Can you believe we’re 100 years old? I feel about that old myself.
Janet Napolitano
(laughs) 100 years young, maybe!
Sandra Day O’Connor
No. Anyway, I’m really glad that you could come. When did you take over as head of Homeland Security?

Janet Napolitano
I took over at the very beginning of President Obama’s term just about three years ago.

Sandra Day O’Connor
Does it seem like 100 years?

Janet Napolitano
We’ve packed a lot into three years. You know, it’s, it is the third-largest department of the federal government. We cover everything and it has been challenging and interesting and has really been a wonderful experience.

Sandra Day O’Connor
It’s very difficult. I’m going to come back to that. Yeah, later, because it’s an amazing job that you took on. But what brought you to Arizona in the first place? When did you come to Arizona?

Janet Napolitano
Well, you know, I grew up in New Mexico. So I’m from the southwest. But I’d gone to college in California and and spent time in in Virginia for law school, and I decided I wanted to move back West somewhere. And I got a judicial clerkship with Judge Mary Schroeder of the US Court of Appeals for the
Ninth Circuit.
Sandra Day O’Connor
How fun
Janet Napolitano
Yeah, we’re in the Ninth Circuit, you know, it covers most of the western states.

Interview

Interview with Senator Jon Kyl

Interview / By

Sandra Day O’Connor Good morning, Senator Kyl.

Jon Kyl Thanks.

Sandra Day O’Connor Just, I’m so glad you’re once again back in Arizona and have time to talk to us today. Jon Kyl It is great to be home. What a beautiful day. Sandra Day O’Connor We it’s a great day. And I’m glad you’re here. Thanks very much. Now, as I understand it, you’ve made a decision not to run for the Senate. Again, you’re getting out of electoral politics Jon Kyl is right, right after after 26 years, next January 3. I will no longer be in the Senate. I’ll go back into the private sector. And I’m looking forward to that. Although there are a lot of things I have yet to do in 10 months and four days or but Sandra Day O’Connor that’s a long period of service. We’ve had several people in Arizona who served a long time, who has served longer than you looking at our Jon Kyl history. Our birthday. This year I did a little research there only been 10 senators in Arizona’s history in the hundred years in the hundred years, served the longest stealing that I think that Earl Earl Hayden clearly served the longest. And then Ernest McFarland, Barry Goldwater, but you also had our first two senators, I love the name Marcus for really Smith. And Henry found Asher both of whom were great orators. In fact, Ashurst is the one who is bragging on the Senate floor, you know, all Arizona needs is a few good men and little more water and somebody said, well, they could say the same about hell. So they were there a long

Interview

Interview with former Arizona Governor Rose Mofford

Interview / By

Sandra Day O’Connor I am very happy to welcome Arizona’s first woman governor, Rose Mofford, to O’Connor House to have a conversation. I’m really pleased you could be here for this. Rose Mofford Now, I’m going to have preference today. Age before beauty today. I’d like– Sandra Day O’Connor I don’t know, I think we’re both in the age category. But I’m so glad you’re here and I’ll tell you one reason. You and I both grew up out in the hinterlands of Arizona. You grew up, you were born in Globe, Arizona, and went to school there. I was on a ranch over in Greenlee County, Arizona and Hidalgo County, New Mexico. And my parents sent me off to El Paso to go to school. We were pretty far away from any school. So we both had rural Arizona upbringings. Rose Mofford And I’ll tell you, that’s the greatest thing that ever happened to me in my life. I was raised by two of the finest parents in the world. Sandra Day O’Connor That’s great. Rose Mofford And I had, there were six of us, four girls and two boys. And we never lost track, but they all turned out, and I’m the last of the six. Sandra Day O’Connor You were the youngest. Rose Mofford I was the youngest. And I was “Baby Rose” to my mother until I was 50 years old. Sandra Day O’Connor Did she still call you “Baby Rose”? Rose Mofford Baby Rose. Now I’d like to tell you that I told several people I was coming out to be with you. And I told them how much fun we had when we were here before.

Sandra Day O’Connor That’s right.

Rose

Arizona Bar Journal, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection

Judge Sandra D. O’Connor Nominated to U.S. Supreme Court

Arizona Bar Journal, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection / By

President Reagan broke the all-male tradition of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, July 7, by nominating Arizona Court of Appeals Judge Sandra Day O’Connor to succeed retiring Justice Potter Stewart. Judge O’Connor, 51, becomes the first woman to be nominated to sit on the high court. President Reagan said of Judge O’Connor, “She is truly a person for all seasons, possessing those unique qualities of temperament, fairness, intellectual capacity and devotion to the public good which have characterized the 101 brethren who have preceded her. Judge O’Connor, in my view, will bring new luster and new strength to the Supreme Court. I feel certain that her term upon the bench will be one of the proudest legacies of my presidency.”

Judge O’Connor was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals eighteen months ago by Governor Bruce Babbitt. She was elected as a county judge in 1975 and has served as President of the Arizona State Senate. Commenting on the nomination, officials of the bar issued a statement that read, “The State Bar of Arizona is honored and extremely proud of the nomination by President Reagan of Judge Sandra O’Connor to be an associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge O’Connor is an outstanding member of the Arizona legal community, and we know that she will be an outstanding Supreme Court Justice as well.”

She was an accomplished trial court judge and has proven herself to be one of Arizona’s most able appellate court judges as evidenced by the high ratings

Detroit Free Press, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection

Senate leaders will seek swift confirmation

Detroit Free Press, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection / By

WASHINGTON – (AP) – Senate leaders said Tuesday they would seek swift confirmation of Sandra D. O’Connor, President Reagan’s choice for the Supreme Court. In a Republican-controlled Senate, some of the strongest praise of O’Connor was from Democrats, who said they were pleased Reagan had chosen a woman with strong legal credentials. Alan Cranston, D-Calif., the assistant Democratic leader, called O’Connor “a brilliant legal scholar with considerable legal experience.” By naming the first woman justice, Reagan has taken a “major step in the battle to eliminate sex discrimination,” Cranston said.

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER Howard Baker of Tennessee, who also commended Reagan for naming a woman, said he was “delighted” by the choice and promised to work for her confirmation. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee which must confirm the nomination, said he was “extremely pleased” with the decision to choose a woman. Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., chairman of the committee, learned of the selection less than an hour before it was announced by Reagan. Nonetheless, he said, “I am glad the president has made his choice, and I will do everything Ican to help the president.” Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., senior Democrat on the committee, said O’Connor “seems to be eminently qualified for the position.”

ONE REPUBLICAN MEMBER of the judiciary panel, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, cautioned against deciding too quickly on O’Connor’s qualifications.

Chicago Tribune, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection

1st Woman is named to high court

Chicago Tribune, Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection / By

… reporters Tuesday that Mrs. O’Connor ”falls generally within the President’s overall judicial philosophy .., Smith said at the White House that Mrs. O’Connor was a judicial conservative. “We’re satisfied that she considers it the function of the court to apply and interpret the law and not to make it,” Smith said “She recognizes that it is the responsibility of elected representatives to enact laws.”

According to Smith, the names of more than 20 potential nominees were submitted to Reagan. The attorney general declined to say whether Reagan interviewed other candidates for the vacancy.

At a press conference in Phoenix. Judge O’Connor declined to talk about issues, pending her confirmation hearing. Following is a partial transcript:

Q-When did you find out President Reagan would nominate you?
A-He called me yesterday afternoon, about 4 o’clock our time, and spoke with me at that time.
Q-Had you, considered you were a serious contender for the post?
A-I assumed that l was because I was interviewed late last week in Washington.
Q-What kind of questions did the president ask?
A-I’m not at liberty to disclose the contents of the conversation, and you can check with the White House on that.
Q-How do you view yourself as far as the law’s concerned … your legal approach? A-I simply try to do as good a job as I can with each question as it arises.
Q-What were your thoughts when you first realized that you were being considered. that you might be the first woman on the Supreme

Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection

Women’s groups endorse O’Connor

Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection / By

…

recognized she was not going to be acceptable to conservatives so they rushed this thing.” An associate of Falwell said, “The church people would desert him (Reagan) in droves .” “President Reagan’s nomination of Judge Sandra O’Connor of Arizona to the Supreme Court is a mistake.” Falwell said in a statement released by associate Cal Thomas. “Either the president did not have sufficient information about Judge O’Connor’s background in social issues or he chose to ignore that information.

“Judge O’Connor’s record indicates she is not an opponent of abortion on demand and is opposed to attempts to curb this biological holocaust that has taken the lives of more than 10 million innocent babies since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision by the Supreme Court” that legalized abortion. “Judge O’Connor also has been active in feminist causes and is a supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, which Moral Majority believes would be a disaster for men and women and would further undermine the traditional family … ”

Nancy Kramer, executive director of the Committee for Public Justice, a New York-based affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, urged that O’Connor’s background be checked before Senate confirmation hearings begin. Kramer is also head of a project called “Supreme Court Watch” which the committee set up last January to compile dossiers on who were considered to be the likeliest nominees for the Supreme Court vacancy. The nomination of O’Connor, a 51-year-old former state