Mourners pay respects to Ginsburg at U.S. Supreme Court

Mourners pay respects to Ginsburg at U.S. Supreme Court

[NFA] Mourners quietly filed past the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's flag-draped coffin outside the white marble court building on Wednesday as the United States began three days of tributes to the liberal icon.

Freddie Joyner has more

Mourners quietly filed past the flag-draped coffin of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg outside the Supreme Court on Wednesday, as the United States began three days of tributes to the liberal icon.

Hundreds of people lined up for a chance to pay their respects to Ginsburg, who died on Friday at age 87.

Dozens of her former clerks stood at attention when the coffin arrived at the courthouse... and former U.S. President Bill Clinton, who appointed Ginsburg to the court in 1993, along with former Democratic presidential nominee Hilary Clinton – also came to honor the late Justice.

Inside the court, a private ceremony to celebrate her life… with Chief Justice John Roberts praising her trailblazing contributions to the law and her status as a cultural icon.

"It has been said that Ruth wanted to be an opera virtuoso, but became a rockstar instead.

But she chose the law (flash) She was not an opera star, but she found her stage right behind me in our courtroom there.

She won famous victories that helped move our nation closer to equal justice under law, to the extent that women are now a majority in law schools, not simply a handful.

Later, she became a star on the bench where she sat for twenty seven years.

Her four hundred and eighty three majority concurring and dissenting opinions will steer the court for decades." Ginsburg's popularity prompted officials to set aside two days for public viewing, rather than the one allowed for other justices.

On Friday, Ginsburg will be moved to National Statuary Hall – making her the first woman to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol.