By Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

"Judicial Independence"

November 6, 2008

"Judicial Independence"
ITEM DETAILS
Type: Panel discussion
Source: Bulletin of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Winter 2009, Tishman Auditorium, New York University School of Law
Occasion: 1931st Stated Meeting of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Transcript

(Excerpt)

John Sexton, President of New York University My wife Lisa, our daughter Katie, and our son Jed were with me for that conference in Florence. Jed was the gofer. Lisa sprained her ankle and had to come home, so Katie, then seven, was a host. She, this little girl, stood next to me as the vans with the justices came up the long, tree-lined road that brought them to the main villa. I said, Now, when the justices get out, you just curtsy and say Buon giorno; welcome to La Pietra. Little Katie said and did just that as Justice OConnor got out of the van. In her own magnificent way, Justice OConnor embraced this little girl. Justices Ginsburg and Breyer were there too, and Justice Ginsburg spent a lot of time with Katie over the three days. But it seemed Justice OConnors hand was always in Katies hand. When Katie came home, she brought with her Justice OConnors cardboard name card from the conference. She put it on her desk, and when she got to the third or fourth grade and had to pick a person from all of history to be and to present a biography, she chose Justice OConnor. A friend came over and saw this card on Katies desk and asked her about it. Katie, now about nine, said, Oh, Justice OConnor, shes a friend of mine. Shes invited me to come down to Washington, and we spent a lot of time together. And there was this other Justice, Justice Ginsburg, and she was very nice, too. Finally she said, I didnt spend a lot of time with Justice Breyer, so I cant tell you

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