Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has been selected as the 2008 recipient of the Paul H. Douglas Ethics in Government Award from the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois.

Justice O’Connor, who retired from the high court on Jan. 31, 2006, was selected by the Douglas Award national selection committee for her life-long devotion to good government and her steadfast defense of an independent judiciary, said Robert F. Rich, director of IGPA.

“Sandra Day O’Connor’s career has exemplified excellence in public service,” Rich said. “She has been a courageous public leader who has promoted a very high standard of integrity in her public and private life. We are honored to recognize her distinguished career with this award.”

The Douglas Award was established in 1992 to honor the memory of Paul H. Douglas, the lawmaker from Illinois who became known as the “conscience of the Senate” during his three terms in Washington. The award is presented annually to a public servant who has made a lasting contribution to ethical behavior in government.

"Paul Douglas was a remarkable public figure," said Justice O'Connor. "I am very honored indeed to receive recognition from the University of Illinois and its Institute of Government and Public Affairs. Senator Douglas's heritage is worth remembering as we face these difficult times."

Justice O’Connor was the first woman to be nominated to the Supreme Court when she was chosen by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 to replace retiring Justice Potter Stewart. Seen by many as a moderating voice on the Court, she cast the deciding vote on several decisions, including one that upheld the constitutionality of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law, which regulated “soft-money” contributions.

Sens. John McCain and Russell Feingold received the Douglas Award in 2000 for their work on this law.

Since retiring from the Court, Justice O’Connor has spoken frequently on the need to maintain a judiciary free of political pressure. She is also an advocate for merit selection of judges as a way to keep politics out of the judicial system.

Justice O’Connor will receive the Paul H. Douglas Ethics in Government Award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on June 8, 2009. Details regarding the award ceremony will be released at a later date.