Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies At 87

Topline

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died at age 87, the Supreme Court announced Friday, setting the stage for a contentious battle to name her successor in the run-up to the November presidential election.

Key Facts

Crucial Quote

“Our nation has lost a jurist of historic stature,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said in a statement. “We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her—a tireless and resolute champion of justice.”

Key Background

Ginsburg had a long career as a trailblazer for women’s rights. Before she was appointed to the court in 1993 by Bill Clinton, Ginsburg co-founded the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project in 1972. She was the second female Supreme Court Justice after Sandra Day O’Connor. Through the years, Ginsburg has become a liberal icon, especially among young feminists who dubbed her “Notorious RBG.”

What’s Next

It’s unclear who is seriously in the running to be President Donald Trump’s nominee, but the president added several controversial picks to a list of potential names last week, including Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who immediately tweeted “It’s time for Roe v. Wade to go” after the announcement.