Death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Oldest U.S. Supreme Court Justice

Justice Ginsburg

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, passed away on the 18th (local time) at the age of 87.

The Supreme Court issued a statement on the same day, announcing that Justice Ginsburg died at her home in Washington due to complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer. Ginsburg underwent pancreatic cancer surgery in 2009 and had another surgery for lung cancer in 2018. Earlier this year, cancer lesions were found in her liver, and she was undergoing chemotherapy.

Justice Ginsburg, who was a professor at Columbia Law School, was appointed as the second female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1993 during President Bill Clinton's administration. After her appointment, she worked to advance women's rights, including issuing a ruling that required the Virginia Military Institute, which only admitted male cadets, to admit women or forfeit state funding. She also supported the limited allowance of the death penalty, and during her tenure, the Court ruled that it was unconstitutional for states to execute intellectually disabled individuals or offenders under 18 years old. She consistently voiced her opinions in defense of minority rights, including those of sexual minorities and racial discrimination issues, often as a dissenting opinion.

As the oldest serving Supreme Court Justice, Ginsburg's health had been a matter of intense public interest. If she were unable to return, President Donald Trump would have the opportunity to appoint a replacement justice. Currently, the Court is composed of five conservatives and four liberals, and if President Trump appointed a conservative justice, the Court's political balance would tilt further to the right. Ginsburg appeared aware of this issue and had expressed her intention to delay retirement and maintain her position on the Court.

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