April 17, 2008
Colorado Law and the Center of the American West collaborated to sponsor a visit by former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Having stepped down from office, the U.S. Supreme Court's 102nd Justice and its first female member spoke candidly about her place in history. In her private talk at the law school today, she discussed her career, advising students to take opportunities even if it is not a top position right away. Students asked questions about her Supreme Court decisions on affirmative action, taxes, and Indian law. Justice O’Connor also spoke about the rule of law and independent judiciary, citing differences in state judiciary systems and opining about recent state proposals. She advised students to “care about the judiciary in the state you’re in and encourage them to be responsible, impartial, and fair.”
Justice O'Connor is a native westerner and the coauthor of the memoir Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest, a collaboration between Justice O'Connor and her brother Alan that recounts their experiences growing up on a ranch along the Arizona-New Mexico border. The Center presented her with the 2008 Wallace Stegner Award, given to individuals who have contributed to the culture and identity of the American West.
