e public schools and county agencies. She then followed her husband to Frankfurt, Germany, as a dutiful Army wife. There, she worked for two years as a civilian attorney for the quartermaster corps. At the end of John O'Connor's military stint in 1957, they moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he opened a private law practice. From 1957 to 1965 she took time out from her professional career to give birth to three sons. In 1965, she accepted a position as an assistant attorney general for the state of Arizona. During these four years, she worked primarily in an office capacity, although she acquired some litigation experience.
In 1969, she entered politics when the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed her to a vacant seat in the Arizona State Senate. In 1970 and 1972, she was reelected to this seat and elected majority leader by her fellow Republicans in 1972. She quickly acquired a reputation for always being prepared and attentive to details. While most senators would rely upon their skills of persuasion to win debates, she would overwhelm her opponents with her homework. She was quick to challenge the others on small details and would often refer to the strict language of the legislation in question. On the other hand, several colleagues would later comment that they could not remember her substantive stands on controversial issues, especially abortion. She often took a non-ideological approach to such issues.
In 1974, she decided to return to the law itself, leaving her senate position to run for a superior court judgeship. After winning the election, she again impressed observers with her abilities. She became known as an intelligent, stern, and fair judge. She proved willing to take a hard line with convicted felons, sentencing one man to death for a contract killing. In 1979, she was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals by Democratic Governor Bruce Babbitt.
Her tenure in this position was...