My concerns through the years increased about the concerns of an independent judiciary and how we maintain it. Certainly in the states. I'm a product of state government in my own state of Arizona. And it seemed to me that the popular election of judges was creating major problems in many states, and we had improved the system in Arizona. And I thought the nation ought to at least rethink how we select our nation's trial judges in the states.

If statistics are any indication, the system may well be allowing some innocent defendants to be executed.

I didn't want to be out of order answering any questions.

It was better for me when I was joined at the court by a second woman. When I was there alone, there was too much media focus on the one woman, and the minute we got another woman, that changed.

You have citizens who don't understand how government works and they're kind of soured on it. All they do is criticize. They have no idea that they can make things happen.

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.

I think I learned to appreciate and treasure each day, because you don't know how many you're going to be given.