The nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court was confirmed by the Senate on August 6, making her the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice in the nation’s history. She also is only the third woman to be confirmed to the Court. Sotomayor replaces Justice David Souter, who announced his retirement earlier this spring. The vacancy gave President Obama his first opportunity to put forward a nominee to the Supreme Court.
The 68–31 vote in favor came just over a week after the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended Sotomayor’s nomination to the full Senate. The committee’s 13–6 vote included only one of seven Republicans in favor. However, announcements of support by several other Republican senators made her confirmation certain. During the July confirmation hearings, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee praised Sotomayor’s record as a federal judge and her achievements as a minority woman who succeeded through hard work and opportunity. Republicans focused largely on speeches she had made that raised doubts about her ability to decide legal issues with impartiality; they claimed she would let personal politics and feelings determine her rulings.
Sonia Sotomayor was born to a Puerto Rican family, and she grew up in a public housing project in the South Bronx, in New York City. She graduated from Princeton University and Yale Law School. Her legal career has included experience as a prosecutor and a corporate litigator, and 17 years as a federal trial judge.
Related Links
- Senate Confirms Sotomayor for Supreme Court
This CNN article reviews the confirmation of Sotomayor to the Supreme Court and includes a link to an in-depth summary of the issues surrounding her nomination and confirmation hearings.
(Source: CNN, August 6, 2009) - History Made as Sotomayor Confirmed to High Court
Story from National Public Radio covers the progress of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to her position on the nation’s highest court.
(Source: NPR, July 28, 2009) - Judge Sonia Sotomayor: Analysis of Selected Opinions
This pdf contains analysis by the Congressional Research Service of rulings and opinions of Judge Sotomayor, provided to senators in advance of the confirmation hearings.
(Source: Congressional Research Service, June 19, 2009) - Judge Sonia Sotomayor
This press release from the White House on President Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor gives her personal and career background.
(Source: The White House, May 26, 2009)
Critical Thinking Questions
- Summarize Read about the confirmation process for Judge Sonia Sotomayor. How did she respond to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s questions?
- Make Inferences When judicial nominees are being questioned by senators, they sometimes decline to answer a question if it pertains to a case that might be expected to come before them as a justice. Why do you think this is?
- Form and Support Opinions How might a person’s race, ethnicity, or gender make a difference in how he or she makes decisions?
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