US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was released from hospital Friday after undergoing surgery for pancreatic cancer, the court said in a statement, dpa reported.
Ginsburg, 75, is the only woman on the nine-member court and considered one of its more left-leaning members. She was appointed to the court by former president Bill Clinton in 1993.
Doctors determined that the tumour, which was removed February 5 at a New York hospital, was in the early stage. Ginsburg was recovering at her home in Washington, the court said.
President Barack Obama would be tasked with replacing Ginsburg on the US' top court if she chooses to retire. Appointing Supreme Court justices is considered one of the president's most important powers, as even one ideological swing can significantly alter the court's decisions for decades.
Former president George W Bush appointed two conservative justices to the court - John Roberts and Samuel Alito - over his eight-year term.