Sonia Sotomayor Is the Next Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
UPDATE – Sotomayor was sworn in on Saturday, August 8.
Today, the Senate confirmed Judge Sonia Sotomayor 68-31 to replace retired Justice David Souter as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. She is the first Latina – and only the third woman – to sit on the nation’s highest court.
“Her place on the Supreme Court as the first Hispanic American Justice is a significant advancement for the principle of equal opportunity and for American democracy. Along with a dedication to the rule of law, Judge Sotomayor understands from her own humble origins and hard work that the Court exists for one purpose – to provide equal justice for all,” said Wade Henderson, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.
President Obama nominated Sotomayor on May 26. She is currently a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, where she has served since 1998. Prior to that, Sotomayor was a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and an assistant district attorney in Manhattan.
With experience as a prosecutor, litigator, and trial and appellate judge, Sotomayor brings more federal and overall judicial experience to the Court than any justice in the past several decades.
Sotomayor’s nomination galvanized the civil rights community. People all over the country held watch parties for her confirmation hearings last month and the Senate vote today, held rallies, made hundreds of calls to their senators, and made videos to show their support for Sotomayor.
As the Senate debated Sotomayor’s confirmation on Wednesday, supporters gathered on Capitol Hill for a final rally to show their support. The enthusiasm for her confirmation comes through loud and clear in this video:
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