Ruth Bader Ginsberg

The US Supreme Court justice died on Friday at the age of 87.

A statement by the court said that Justice Ginsburg died of metastatic pancreatic cancer at her home in Washington DC, surrounded by her family.

She had been battling her fourth bout of cancer, undergoing chemotherapy earlier this year.

Justice Ginsburg was the oldest justice and the second ever woman to sit on the Supreme Court, where she served for 27 years. She was most well-known for championing women’s rights.

Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, refused to let the Senate vote on Barack Obama’s nominee to the court, Merrick Garland, in 2016 on the basis the “vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president”.

Mr McConnell has, however, announced that the Senate will vote for Justice Ginsburg’s successor before November’s presidential elections.

“President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate,” he said.

Paying tribute to Justice Ginsburg, Chief Justice John Roberts said: “Our nation has lost a jurist of historical stature. We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her – a tireless and resolute champion of justice.”

Justice Samuel A. Alito commented: “Justice Ginsburg will go down as a leading figure in the history of the Court. She will be remembered for her intelligence, learning, and remarkable fortitude. She has been and will continue to be an inspiration for many.”

Justice Ginsberg’s legal career spanned six decades and she became an icon for her progressive, liberal and feminist approach.

Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh said: “No American has ever done more than Justice Ginsburg to ensure equal justice under law for women.”