Statement by Tobi Millrood, AAJ President, September 18, 2020

Tonight, America mourns the loss of a national treasure, trailblazing advocate, and civil justice champion. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent a lifetime fighting to protect the rights of Americans, becoming a transformative figure on the Supreme Court. With her fierce support of the rule of law and the protection of the individual, she rightfully became a cultural icon. In 1993, Justice Ginsburg became the second woman ever appointed to the Supreme Court. As the 107th Justice on the Supreme Court, much of her work during 27 years on the Court was devoted to the deep-rooted principle that America’s courts must be open for every person who has been discriminated against or wrongfully harmed to seek justice. Justice Ginsburg dedicated her life to advancing the rule of law and achieving equal justice for all people and was a persistent advocate for gender equality and women’s rights.

That commitment is reflected in her opinions giving broad scope to the statutory remedies Congress has established, including those that would allow suits by injured railroad workers and seafarers. Her dissent from the Court’s 2007 decision rejecting a woman’s suit for equal pay as untimely was later vindicated when Congress passed and President Obama signed the “Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act,” amending those time limits.   

Justice Ginsburg opposed decisions that closed courthouse doors to American workers, consumers, and patients through federal preemption of traditional state tort remedies and through forced arbitration provisions. She also recognized that civil justice in America includes the right to trial by jury, guaranteed by the Seventh Amendment. She dissented from decisions that allow judges to overturn punitive damage verdicts rendered by juries in fair trials.

The daughter of an immigrant, she represented the ideals of this nation and fought to preserve access and opportunity for all in their pursuit of the American Dream. We deeply mourn the passing of Justice Ginsburg, and we honor this pioneering champion and her dedication to justice for all.