CNN —Former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who blazed trails as the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court, has died, the court announced Friday morning. O’Connor inspired generations of female lawyers – including the five women who served after her nomination on the high court. O’Connor stepped down from the court in 2006 to care for her husband who was ailing from Alzheimer’s disease. Key vote on abortion, affirmative action, Bush v. GoreDuring her tenure, the court for a time was known informally as the “O’Connor Court” because she served as the deciding vote in so many controversial cases. O’Connor was well aware of the symbolism of her place in history as the first female justice.

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Persons: Sandra Day O’Connor, O’Connor, John Roberts, ”, Ronald Reagan, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, George W, Bush, Samuel Alito, William Rehnquist, John O’Connor, “, ” O’Connor, James Forman, ’ ” Forman, Gore, Casey, Donald Trump’s, O’Conner, Marci Hamilton, ” Hamilton, Alito, Roe, Wade Organizations: CNN, ”, Stanford University, Stanford Law School, Maricopa County Superior Court, of Appeals, University of Michigan, Supreme Court, Republican Locations: Arizona, Maricopa County