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.
Sandra Day O'ConnorYes, I will bring the understanding of a woman to the Court, but I doubt that alone will affect my decisions.
Sandra Day O'ConnorI think I learned to appreciate and treasure each day, because you don't know how many you're going to be given.
Sandra Day O'ConnorWhat 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.
Sandra Day O'ConnorThe framers of the Constitution were so clear in the federalist papers and elsewhere that they felt an independent judiciary was critical to the success of the nation.
Sandra Day O'ConnorThe government now has license to transfer property from those with fewer resources to those with more. The Founders cannot have intended this perverse result.
Sandra Day O'ConnorThe 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.
Sandra Day O'Connor