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A look at major decisions in which O'Connor played key role

Michael Barnett and Andres R. Martinez - Knight Ridder Newspapers

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July 01, 2005 03:00 AM

WASHINGTON—The following are some of the major cases in which Sandra Day O'Connor played a significant role.

———

Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan

Decided: July 1, 1982

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Voted: With majority

Decision: 5-4

O'Connor voted with the majority to strike down a rule that blocked men from attending Mississippi University's nursing school.

———

Lynch v. Donnelly

Decided: March 5, 1984

Voted: With majority

Decision: 5-4

The court ruled that the Pawtucket, R.I., government didn't violate the separation of church and state by sponsoring a Christmas display in a shopping district.

———

Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier

Decided: Jan. 13, 1988

Voted: With majority

Decision: 5-3

O'Connor agreed with the majority that schools had the right to block students from publishing anything they deemed inappropriate.

———

Texas v. Johnson

Decided: June 21, 1989

Voted: With minority

Decision: 5-4

The Supreme Court upheld that burning the American flag was a protected form of speech.

———

Planned Parenthood v. Casey

Decided: June 29, 1992

Voted: With majority

Decision: 5-4

The court upheld a Pennsylvania law requiring a 24-hour waiting period before abortions and that minors get the permission of at least one parent before getting abortions.

———

Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co.

Decided: Jan. 23, 1989

Voted: With majority

Decision: 6-3

The court struck down a Richmond, Va., law mandating that construction companies working with the city subcontract work to minority-run businesses.

———

Bush v. Gore

Decided: Dec. 12, 2000

Voted: With majority

Decision: 5-4

The court agreed with President George Bush's argument that Florida's recount method in the 2000 presidential election was unconstitutional because the procedure was inconsistent across the state.

———

Grutter v. Bollinger

Decided: June 23, 2003

Voted: With majority

Decision: 5-4

O'Connor joined the majority in saying that the Michigan School of Law didn't violate any laws by using race as a factor in admission to that school.

———

Lawrence and Garner v. Texas

Decided: June 26, 2003

Voted: With majority

Decision: 6-3

The court struck down Texas law that made sodomy illegal.

———

Rasul v. Bush

Decided: June 28, 2004

Voted: With majority

Decision: 6-3

In a case brought by detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, O'Connor voted with the majority that detainees held at the U.S. military base could appeal their detentions.

———

Roper v. Simmons

Decided: March 1, 2005

Voted: With minority

Decision: 5-4

O'Connor dissented from the court's ruling that the death penalty couldn't be applied to cases where the accused was a minor when the crime was committed.

———

(c) 2005, Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

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