On July 1, 2005, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement from the US Supreme Court. On July 7, 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed her to the Supreme Court as the first ever female Supreme Court Justice. She was succeeded by Justice Samuel Alito. Justice O'Connor's voting record typically fell on the conservative side, as she professed her desire to not allow the law to expand much in either direction; however, later in her career she became known as the "swing vote." Justice O'Connor played an important role in many cases, such as Lawrence v. Texas and Bush v. Gore.

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