--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Justice Sandra Day O'Connor serves as a…" description: "\"Justice Sandra Day O'Connor serves as a model Supreme Court justice, widely recognized as a jurist with practical values, a sense of the consequences o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/patrick-leahy-9772_consequence_justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a_678546.png" --- # Justice Sandra Day O'Connor serves as a model Supreme… ![“Justice Sandra Day O'Connor serves as a model Supreme Court justice, widely recognized as a jurist with practical values, a sense of the consequences of the legal decisions being made by the Supreme Court.” quote by Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/patrick-leahy-9772_consequence_justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a_678546.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/patrick-leahy-9772_consequence_justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a_678546.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/patrick-leahy-9772_consequence_justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a_678546.png) > “Justice Sandra Day O'Connor serves as a model Supreme Court justice, widely recognized as a jurist with practical values, a sense of the consequences of the legal decisions being made by the Supreme Court.” [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Justice O'Connor exemplifies a Supreme Court justice grounded in practical values and awareness of legal consequences. **In simple terms:** O'Connor valued practicality and impact. Key Takeaway Model practical, consequence‑aware jurisprudence. Themes law practicality consequences Mood respectful analytical Type legal educational When to use this quote - court decisions - policy making - legal education Key Concepts legal theory judicial philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How should judges balance principle and practicality? - What are the impacts of consequentialist reasoning? A Different Perspective Practicality may clash with abstract legal principles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Jurists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jurists/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Sandra day o connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sandra-day-o-connor/) [Supreme court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme-court/) [Supreme court justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme-court-justice/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [I regret that some on the extreme right have been so critical of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and have adamantly opposed the naming of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/i-regret-that-some-on-the-extreme-right-have-been-so-critical-of/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [ She \[Justice sandra Day O'Connor\] rejected the \[George\] Bush administration's claim that it could indefinitely detain a United States citizen. She upheld the fundamental… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/she-justice-sandra-day-o-connor-rejected-the-george-bush/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [ She \[Justice sandra Day O'Connor\] wrote - and this is one we should all remember - she wrote that even war is not a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/she-justice-sandra-day-o-connor-wrote-and-this-is-one-we-should-all/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Justice Sandra Day O'Connor brought critical qualities to the high court that not everybody thinks are qualities - I happen to think they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/justice-sandra-day-o-connor-brought-critical-qualities-to-the-high/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Not that I've always agreed with what she said - far from it - but Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has been properly lauded, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/not-that-i-ve-always-agreed-with-what-she-said-far-from-it-but/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [ She \[Justice Sandra Day O'Connor\], unlike, Judge Bork, did not think that being on the court would be an "intellectual feast," to quote Judge… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/she-justice-sandra-day-o-connor-unlike-judge-bork-did-not-think-that/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has been a pioneer, and her dedicated service on the Supreme Court will never be forgotten. And the people of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-alito/justice-sandra-day-o-connor-has-been-a-pioneer-and-her-dedicated/) [Samuel Alito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-alito/) > [As Justice Sandra Day O'Connor stated, even a state of war is not a blank check for a president to do whatever he wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/as-justice-sandra-day-o-connor-stated-even-a-state-of-war-is-not-a/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Justice Sandra Day O'Connor decisions reflect, in my view, that our society has worked very hard to improve the workaday world, to open doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/justice-sandra-day-o-connor-decisions-reflect-in-my-view-that-our/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [ Justice \[Sandra Day\] O'Connor has been a guardian of the protections the Constitution provides the American people. She's come to provide balance and a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/justice-sandra-day-o-connor-has-been-a-guardian-of-the-protections/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [ Her \[Jurdge Sandra Day O'Connor\] judgment has also been critical in protecting our environmental rights. She joined in 5-4 majorities affirming reproductive freedom and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/her-jurdge-sandra-day-o-connor-judgment-has-also-been-critical-in/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [ \[Sandra Day O'Connor\] is a justice whose graciousness and sense of duty fuels her continued service, even agreeing to serve more than six months… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/sandra-day-o-connor-is-a-justice-whose-graciousness-and-sense-of-duty/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [ Justice \[Sandra Day\] O'Connor also brought balance to our highest court; most recently, as been repeated many times, when she cautioned about how war… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/justice-sandra-day-o-connor-also-brought-balance-to-our-highest-court/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [ Justice \[Sandra Day\] O'Connor has been the critical decisive vote on many issues that go to the heart of who we are as a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/justice-sandra-day-o-connor-has-been-the-critical-decisive-vote-on/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [Arizonians are deeply proud of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's service to this country. She will always be remembered by Arizonans and all Americans as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kyl/arizonians-are-deeply-proud-of-justice-sandra-day-o-connor-s-service/) [Jon Kyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kyl/) ## More by Patrick Leahy > [Trump would either be the Scarecrow or the Joker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/trump-would-either-be-the-scarecrow-or-the-joker/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Contrary to what some believe, taking all reasonable and feasible precautions to protect civilians - and mitigating the resulting anger when we harm them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/contrary-to-what-some-believe-taking-all-reasonable-and-feasible/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [The rights of copyright holders need to be protected, but some draconian remedies that have been suggested would create more problems than they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/the-rights-of-copyright-holders-need-to-be-protected-but-some/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Batman doesn't have any superpowers. He has to use his brain and his courage. That's what always appealed to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/batman-doesn-t-have-any-superpowers-he-has-to-use-his-brain-and-his/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [We've won wars before and we've certainly retained our rights as Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/we-ve-won-wars-before-and-we-ve-certainly-retained-our-rights-as/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Benjamin Franklin once said, 'A people who would trade liberty for security deserve neither.' I think we can have both. We can keep our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/benjamin-franklin-once-said-a-people-who-would-trade-liberty-for/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [If we harm civilians when it could reasonably have been avoided, and if we fail to fairly and promptly help the innocent victims, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/if-we-harm-civilians-when-it-could-reasonably-have-been-avoided-and/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the number of violent extremist groups has grown across multiple continents. From Syria to Somalia to Pakistan, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/since-the-sept-11-terrorist-attacks-the-number-of-violent-extremist/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [For the church to say that abortion is not acceptable for a Catholic is fine. To say directly or indirectly that on something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/for-the-church-to-say-that-abortion-is-not-acceptable-for-a-catholic/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [In my view it is time to pass a good bill, a fair bill, a comprehensive bill ... Too many have been waiting too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/in-my-view-it-is-time-to-pass-a-good-bill-a-fair-bill-a-comprehensive/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [The appointment of the next Supreme Court justice must be made in the people's interest and in the nation's interest, not in the interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/the-appointment-of-the-next-supreme-court-justice-must-be-made-in-the/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [There have been 111 Justices in the Supreme Court of the United States. Only three have been women. If she is confirmed, Solicitor General…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/there-have-been-111-justices-in-the-supreme-court-of-the-united/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [That the Islamic State is guilty of horrific atrocities is common knowledge. But most Americans seem unaware of the human toll of our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/that-the-islamic-state-is-guilty-of-horrific-atrocities-is-common/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Stealing is stealing. I don't care if it's on the Internet or you're breaking into a warehouse somewhere - it's theft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/stealing-is-stealing-i-don-t-care-if-it-s-on-the-internet-or-you-re/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [Remember the attorney general is not a member of the president's staff. He's the attorney general of the United States. He's there to represent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/remember-the-attorney-general-is-not-a-member-of-the-president-s/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) [Explore all 70 Patrick Leahy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) ## More Consequence quotes > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [It's easy to make mistakes. It's living with the consequences of them that's the hardest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-s-easy-to-make-mistakes-it-s-living-with-the-consequences-of-them/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Actions have consequences... first rule of life. And the second rule is this - you are the only one responsible for your own actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/actions-have-consequences-first-rule-of-life-and-the-second-rule-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [There is no silver bullet. There are always options and the options have consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/there-is-no-silver-bullet-there-are-always-options-and-the-options/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“Each day I learn that every single action we take has its own consequence – for either good or bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginny-dye/each-day-i-learn-that-every-single-action-we-take-has-its-own/) Ginny Dye > [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Any kind of restrictions put on free speech would have worse consequences than bullying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-starlight/any-kind-of-restrictions-put-on-free-speech-would-have-worse/) [Lady Starlight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-starlight/) > [So, I'm not the only one who believes that there is such a thing as "the law of gravity," and if it's a law,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/so-i-m-not-the-only-one-who-believes-that-there-is-such-a-thing-as/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [The average American expends more time becoming informed about choosing a car than choosing a candidate. But, then, the consequences of the former choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-average-american-expends-more-time-becoming-informed-about/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) [Browse all 3,099 Consequence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Justice Sandra Day O'Connor serves as a model Supreme Court justice, widely recognized as a jurist with practical values, a sense of the consequences of the legal decisions being made by the Supreme Court.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick Leahy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a-model-supreme-court-justice/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Consequence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a-model-supreme-court-justice/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/patrick-leahy-9772_consequence_justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a_678546.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/patrick-leahy-9772_consequence_justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a_678546.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/patrick-leahy-9772_consequence_justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a_678546.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Justice Sandra Day O'Connor serves as a model Supreme Court justice, widely recognized as a jurist with…” — Patrick Leahy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Patrick Leahy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Justice Sandra Day O'Connor serves as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a-model-supreme-court-justice/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/justice-sandra-day-o-connor-serves-as-a-model-supreme-court-justice/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```