May 7, 2009
I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would reach wise decisions.
Sonia Sotomayor
The Public Record
Sonia Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, having been nominated by President Barack Obama in 2009. She is the first Hispanic and Latina member of the Court. Sotomayor previously served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and as a district court judge for the Southern District of New York. Her judicial philosophy often emphasizes the importance of empathy and the impact of the law on the lives of individuals, particularly marginalized communities.
congress.gov
May 7, 2009
A judge had to come to the process understanding the importance and respect the Constitution must receive
May 7, 2009
Life experiences have to influence you. We're not robots to listen to evidence and don't have feelings.
May 7, 2009
I do not believe that any ethnic, racial, or gender group has an advantage in sound judging.
May 7, 2009
I was trying to inspire them to believe that their life experiences would enrich the legal system.
May 7, 2009
Judges must transcend their personal sympathies and prejudices and aspire to achieve a greater degree of fairness and integrity based on the reason of law.
May 7, 2009
I try to pass on this legacy by serving as a mentor and friend to my many godchildren and to students of all backgrounds.
May 7, 2009
You do not deserve this, sir. I am deeply sorry for you and your family, but I have no choice.
May 7, 2009
As a judge, what I have to look at and realize is that in 30 years or 40, actually, there has been--excuse me, Senator. I'm sorry----
May 7, 2009
I can only explain what I think judges should do, which is judges can't rely on what's in their heart.
May 7, 2009
The decision of the Court in Heller is--its holding has recognized an individual right to bear arms as applied to the Federal Government.
May 7, 2009
One hopes, by having the wisdom of a Harlan in Plessy, by having the wisdom to understand, always, no matter what the situation, that our Constitution has held us in good stead for over 200 years and that our survival depends on upholding…
May 7, 2009
As I said, I haven't examined those cases recently enough to be able to answer your question, Senator.
May 7, 2009
I do admire those parts of Justice Cardozo, which he was most famous for, and think that that is how I approach the law.
May 7, 2009
I seek to strengthen both the rule of law and faith in the impartiality of the justice system.
May 7, 2009
In the past month, many Senators have asked me about my judicial philosophy. Simple: fidelity to the law.
May 7, 2009
The First Amendment commands that we respect people's rights to engage in hateful speech.
May 7, 2009
I would never, ever endorse, approve or tolerate, if I had any control over individuals, that kind of conduct.
May 7, 2009
Well, the government can remedy a social problem that it is identifying or difficulty.
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