Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the Passing of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland following the passing of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor:

“I was saddened to learn of the passing of my friend, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

“Justice O’Connor was a person of outstanding judgment, integrity, and intellect, and a jurist of great common sense, practicality, and vision. As a Justice, she insisted on focusing on how the law and the Court’s decisions would affect people in their everyday lives. Her pathbreaking career was marked not only by her own incredible achievements, but by the way in which those achievements created space for so many others who, like her, were not represented in the legal community.

“She will be remembered by generations to come, both for her historic achievement of becoming the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court and for her many contributions to the law as a Justice.

“For those of us fortunate to have known her, she will also be remembered for her infectious wit, her unfailing kindness, and her devotion to her loved ones.

“My thoughts are with all those who loved and admired Justice O’Connor. I join them in honoring her extraordinary legacy.”