| Communications and Development |  |
Published by Communications and Development
Staff and students in the University of Canterbury’s School of Law have been treated to a rare insight into the American legal system with the visit by the first woman justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has spent a week at the University as the inaugural Hotung Fellow. The fellowship was established in 2005 by global philanthropist Sir Eric Hotung who gifted one million Hong Kong dollars (NZ$185,000) to the University of Canterbury Foundation to establish a fellowship to boost research and raise the profile of the School of Law.
After serving as a trial judge and in the Arizona Court of Appeals, Justice O’Connor was nominated to the Supreme Court bench by President Ronald Reagan in 1981. On her nomination being confirmed by the Senate in a 99-0 vote, she became the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court in its 191 year history. In her quarter of a century on the bench, Justice O’Connor ruled on a number of influential cases involving controversial topics such as abortion, homosexuality and race.
In 1989 she declined to overturn Roe v Wade, giving women the right to an abortion, but accepted there could be state regulation. In 2000 she was part of the majority vote that ruled that the state of Florida’s method for recounting ballots in the Bush v Gore election dispute was unconstitutional.
Justice O’Connor, who retired from the Supreme Court in January 2006, would like to see more women appointed to the bench.
“It was wonderful to be the first woman but I didn’t want to be the last. And I very nearly have been. When I retired it reduced the number of women on that Court by 50 per cent and I’m rather concerned. I had hoped I might have been replaced by another woman.
“It is not always comfortable to be the object of a lot of attention and as the first woman on the Supreme Court I was subjected to a great deal of media attention.
“But the appointment of a woman in 1981 opened countless doors for women in the United States and I dare say in a few other places as well. I was very appreciative that President Reagan decided to make that move and it made a huge difference for women in the United States, certainly in the legal profession, but in other positions as well.”
Justice O’Connor said she would rather be judged by the value of her legal arguments than by her gender.
“I think Justice (Ruth) Ginsburg and I both believe that at the end of the day a wise old woman and a wise old man make the same decision.”
While at UC, Justice O’Connor gave a public lecture and two university lectures in which she discussed the rule of law around the world, the history of the Supreme Court and legal issues surrounding the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay.
“I have had a very delightful week at the University of Canterbury’s Law School. I have met most of the faculty and have found them interested and interesting. I have also met with a number of students who are very enthused.
“It looks as if the University is functioning very well indeed with its Law School. A law school is extremely important to any university. I have found in the United States that every fine university is careful to have an excellent law school because they maintain links with the larger world which is extremely important for the university. I think Canterbury is fulfilling that role in a very impressive manner.”
Justice O’Connor said she was honoured to be the inaugural Hotung Fellow. She has previously met Sir Eric during a visit to Georgetown University where he donated funds for a law building.
“I was pleased to meet him. He is a charming man and I think he has been generous with Georgetown and he is certainly wonderful to have supported this fellowship.”
Professor Stephen Todd said it was a great honour for the School of Law to host such a distinguished visitor.
“We were extremely fortunate that Justice O’Connor decided to come to Canterbury and to present seminars to staff and students. Her visit has been of huge benefit to the School.
“During her visit Justice O’Connor took a full part in the day-to-day working of the Law School. As well as giving arranged presentations, she sat in on lectures and tutorials and went out of her way to attended functions with both undergraduate and postgraduate students.”
Professor Todd said Justice O’Connor had taken an active interest in who the School of Law might invite as the next Hotung Visiting Fellow, and staff were already starting to make appropriate plans.
For further information please contact:
Jeanette Colman
Communications Manager
University of Canterbury
Ph: (03) 364 2260
jeanette.colman@canterbury.ac.nz