Who is Sonia Sotomayor, Obama's First-Ever Nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court?

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Who Is the Newest Supreme Court Justice?

In May 2009, President Barack Obama selected federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor as his nominee to become the next justice of the United States Supreme Court.

On April 30, 2009, justice David Souter announced that he intended to retire from the court at the end of this year's term (the term runs from early October to late June or early July). This was President Obama's first opportunity to affect his influence on the court with the appointment of a justice likely to be hold a view of law similar to his own. As expected, Obama's choice was a woman since only one female justice currently sits on the court.

Through the summer of 2009, hearings were held in the United States Senate as debate raged about Sonia Sotomayor's qualifications, although her ratification seemed sure. Indeed, she was approved and was sworn in August 8, 2009.

What is Justice Sonia Sotomayor's background? What process does a Supreme Court nominee have to go through to become confirmed as a justice? We will answer those questions and explain more about the Supreme Court on this page as well as current tweets from Twitter on now Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

(Photo: The statue "Contemplation of Justice" (James Earle Fraser, sculptor) on the north side of the Supreme Court building's entrance. Photograph by Lois Long, from the Supreme Court website.)

Sonia Sotomayor, the Newest Associate Supreme Court Justice 

Judge Sotomayor joins Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the second woman on the current Supreme Court.

Here are some facts about President Barack Obama's first-ever nominee for Supreme Court justice.

  • Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor is from New York, having grown up in a Bronx housing project.
  • She is the first Hispanic justice on the high court.
  • At the time of her nomination, she was 54-years of age.
  • She was first appointed as a federal judge in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush, then as an appeals judge by President Bill Clinton in 1997.

Video: Sonia Sotomayer Accepts the Nomination 

Gives credit to her mother as her "life aspiration."

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How is a Supreme Court nominee confirmed? 

"Bork: To defeat a judicial nomination through a concerted attack on the nominee's character, background and philosophy."

(Excerpted from the Wikipedia article on the Supreme Court, also cited above.)

In modern times, the confirmation process has attracted considerable attention from special-interest groups, many of which lobby senators to confirm or to reject a nominee, depending on whether the nominee's track record aligns with the group's views. The Senate Judiciary Committee conducts hearings, questioning nominees to determine their suitability. At the close of confirmation hearings, the Committee votes on whether the nomination should go to the full Senate with a positive, negative or neutral report.

Once the Committee reports out the nomination, the whole Senate considers it; a simple majority vote is required to confirm or to reject a nominee. Rejections are relatively uncommon; the Senate has explicitly rejected twelve Supreme Court nominees in its history. The most recent rejection of a nominee by vote of the full Senate came in 1987, when the Senate refused to confirm Robert Bork.

(Picture is Chief Justice nominee John Roberts being sworn in prior to his judicial committee confirmation testimony.)

Video: Sonia Sotomayor Takes the Oath of Office 

On August 8, 2009, Judge Sotomayor became Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Watch as Chief Justice John Roberts administers the oath, as Judge Sotomayor's mother and brother look on.
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The Oath of Office for Supreme Court Justices


"I, [NAME], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as [TITLE] under the Constitution and laws of the United States.
So help me God."

The Justices of the United States Supreme Court 

The court consists of the Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. A new group photo will be taken when the Supreme Court convenes in October.

This official photograph was taken March 3, 2006.


The members include (from the front row, left to right, then the back row, left to right):

Anthony Kennedy Nominated by President Ronald Reagan, he took his seat on the court February 18, 1988.
John Paul Stevens Nominated by President Gerald Ford, he took his seat December 19, 1975.
Chief Justice John Roberts Nominated by President George W. Bush, he took his seat September 29, 2005.
Antonin Scalia Nominated by President Ronald Reagan, he took his seat September 26, 1986.
David Souter Nominated by President George H.W. Bush, he took his seat October 9, 1990.
Stephen Breyer Nominated by President Bill Clinton, he took his seat August 3, 1994.
Clarence Thomas Nominated by President George H.W. Bush, he took his seat October 23, 1991.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Nominated by President Bill Clinton, she took her seat August 10, 1993.
Samuel Alito Nominated by President George Bush, he took his seat on January 31, 2006.

Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx 

Teachers: Order now to include in your lesson plan about Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.


Click to preorder
Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx/La juez que creció en el Bronx
Your price: $11.46 - List price $16.99 - save $5.53 (33%)



Before Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor took her seat in our nation's highest court, she was just a little girl in the South Bronx. Justice Sotomayor didn't have a lot growing up, but she had what she needed -- her mother's love, a will to learn, and her own determination. With bravery she became the person she wanted to be. With hard work she succeeded. With little sunlight and only a modest plot from which to grow, Justice Sotomayor bloomed for the whole world to see.

The Supreme Court of the United States 

From Wikipedia

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States, and leads the federal judiciary. It consists of the Chief Justice of the United States and eight Associate Justices, who are nominated by the President and confirmed with the "advice and consent" (majority vote) of the Senate. Once appointed, Justices effectively have life tenure, serving "during good Behaviour", which terminates only upon death, resignation, retirement, or conviction on impeachment.See, in dicta Northern Pipeline Co. v. Marathon Pipe Line Co., 458 U.S. 50, 59 (1982); United States ex rel. Toth v. Quarles, 350 U.S. 11, 16 (1955). The Court meets in Washington, D.C. in the United States Supreme Court building. The Supreme Court is primarily an appellate court, but it has original jurisdiction over a small range of cases. The Supreme Court is sometimes informally referred to as the High Court, or by the acronym SCOTUS.

read the rest of the Wikipedia article

The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court 

The highly-acclaimed bestseller by Jeffrey Toobin

The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court

The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court

by: Jeffrey Toobin

Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 12/11/2009)Buy Now

Bestselling author Jeffrey Toobin takes you into the chambers of the most important-and secret-legal body in our country, the Supreme Court, and reveals the complex dynamic among the nine people who decide the law of the land.

Based on exclusive interviews with justices themselves, The Nine tells the story of the Court through personalities-from Anthony Kennedy's overwhelming sense of self-importance to Clarence Thomas's well-tended grievances against his critics to David Souter's odd nineteenth-century lifestyle. There is also, for the first time, the full behind-the-scenes story of Bush v. Gore-and Sandra Day O'Connor's fateful breach with George W. Bush, the president she helped place in office.

The Supreme Court for Children 

Help your child understand and remember this moment in history.

Supreme Court justices are appointed for life. Chances are that the justice appointed this year, while your child is young, will still be serving when he or she is old enough to vote - and beyond. Use this book in a family or school setting to help discuss and explain what your child is hearing on the news.
The Supreme Court (True Books)

The Supreme Court (True Books)

by: Christine Taylor-Butler

Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 12/11/2009)Buy Now

Help your elementary-age student learn about the Supreme Court, its history, the legal procedure, and why the highest court in the land is important in their lives.

The Constitution of the United States of America 

Get this pocket copy with lots of extras.

The U.S. Constitution: And Fascinating Facts About It

The U.S. Constitution: And Fascinating Facts About It

by: Terry L. Jordan

Amazon Price: $2.95 (as of 12/11/2009)Buy Now

From elementary school to law school to voter, this pocket edition will help you learn and serve as a great reference.

Contains the text of the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, plus much more. Every citizen should own a copy.

Your Thoughts? 

Let us know what you think of Sonia Sotomayor, the future of the Supreme Court, the confirmation process, or just say hello.

The Supreme Court of the United States



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by Susan52

Susan52 enjoys writing, blogging, and making lenses on Squidoo and is proud to be a member of the Giant Squid 100 Club! The true loves of her life are... (more)

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