Remembering Justice Sandra Day O'Connor: Biden, Roberts, and the enduring challenges for women in law

During Sandra Day O'Connor's Senate confirmation hearings in 1981, then-Senator Joe Biden urged her to use her high profile as the first woman Supreme Court justice to promote the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and speak out on issues of inequality for women. O'Connor politely declined, but went on to become a key swing vote on the court, upholding Roe v. Wade and seeking compromises on controversial issues. Biden praised O'Connor's commitment to the stable center and common ground, and her impact on democracy and active citizenship.