Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1993 until her death in 2020. She advanced gender equality through litigation and became known for influential opinions and dissents.

Martin Ginsburg: Martin Ginsburg was an American tax lawyer and professor, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s husband. His partnership supported her legal and academic career, while he also became a prominent advocate for her Supreme Court nomination.
Reed v. Reed: Reed v. Reed was a 1971 U.S. Supreme Court case that invalidated an Idaho law preferring men as estate administrators. Ginsburg helped write the successful brief, and the decision first applied equal protection to sex discrimination.
American Civil Liberties Union Women's Rights Project: The ACLU Women’s Rights Project is a legal advocacy organization founded in 1972 to combat sex discrimination. Ginsburg co-founded and led it, coordinating strategic litigation against discriminatory laws.
Gender equality: Gender equality is the principle that people should have equal rights, opportunities, and treatment regardless of gender. Ginsburg’s advocacy and opinions helped dismantle legal barriers based on sex.
Originalism: Originalism interprets legal texts according to their original public meaning at the time of adoption. Ginsburg’s equality jurisprudence generally relied on evolving applications of constitutional principles, not originalist limits.
Sandra Day O’Connor: Sandra Day O’Connor was an American jurist and the first woman to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court justice. O’Connor and Ginsburg served together as the Court’s first two women justices.
Frontiero v. Richardson: Frontiero v. Richardson was a 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case striking down unequal military-benefit rules for service members’ spouses. Ginsburg argued that the sex-based rule violated equal protection, advancing her litigation strategy.
Strategic litigation: Strategic litigation uses carefully selected lawsuits to advance broader legal or social change. Ginsburg selected cases that could build constitutional protections incrementally.
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009: The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 reset the filing period for certain pay-discrimination claims with each discriminatory paycheck. Congress enacted it after Ginsburg’s dissent highlighted the practical effects of the Court’s Ledbetter ruling.
Textualism: Textualism interprets legal texts primarily through the ordinary meaning of their words in context. Her opinions often combined text with precedent and practical consequences rather than treating text as the sole guide.

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