Sonia Sotomayor, 54, is thought to be the frontrunner. If nominated, she would be the first Hispanic to serve on the Supreme Court. She was appointed to the federal bench by President George H.W. Bush and elevated to the appeals court in 1998 by President Clinton. She grew up in a housing project in the Bronx, and went on to Princeton, where she graduated summa cum laude. From there she went to Yale Law School, and spent five years as a prosecutor with the Manhattan District Attorney before developing a career as a commercial litigator. But she also sat on the board of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund and on the State of New York Mortgage Agency, where she helped secure mortgages for low-income families. Her Senate committee hearings were “wrinkle-free” in June 1992, and her pro bono legal work won over senators. Conservatives now criticize her role in a decision to throw out a firefighter’s promotions test in New Haven because no African Americans qualified. According to The New York Times in 1992, Sotomayor is “plain-spoken and direct, good-humored but not exactly humorous. She is also seemingly without affectation, a trait that colleagues say helps her move as comfortably among her wealthy European clients as she does in her old Bronx neighborhood, where she recently returned to live.” Possible nomination to the Supreme Court

Sotomayor has been regarded as a potential Supreme Court nominee by several Presidents, both Republican and Democratic.[5][25] She could enjoy bipartisan support.[8][26][27]

In July 2005, a number of Senate Democrats suggested Sotomayor, among others, to President George W. Bush as a nominee acceptable to them to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. The suggestion was criticized by John Lott and Sonia D. Jones on the conservative blog National Review Online as being in bad faith, because, they argued, it reflected insufficient effort on the part of the Democrats to suggest conservative nominees acceptable to Bush. Lott and Jones noted that Sotomayor was rated only "moderate" or "neutral," rather than "conservative," in a survey by the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary of courtroom lawyers regarding the political views of the judges they encounter in their litigation.[28] John G. Roberts was nominated for the seat initally, but instead was nominated and later confirmed as Chief Justice following the death of William H. Rehnquist. The seat was eventually filled by Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. of the Third Circuit.

There has been speculation that Sotomayor could be a leading candidate for the Supreme Court seat of Justice David Souter, or for any opening on the Court during President Obama's term.[5][6][7][25][26][27][29][30][31] On April 9, 2009, New York Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand wrote a joint letter to President Obama urging him to appoint Sotomayor, or alternatively Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, to the Supreme Court if a vacancy should arise on the Court during his term.[32] On April 30, 2009 David Souter's retirement plans were leaked to the media, and Sonia Sotomayor received early attention as a possible nominee for the seat to be vacated in June 2009.[31]

If chosen, Sotomayor would be the Supreme Court's first ever Latina justice...Viva Puerto Rico !

If chosen, Sotomayor would be the Supreme Court's first ever Latina justice...Viva Puerto Rico ! If chosen STATEHOOD FOR PUERTO RICO would be inevitable

Sonia Sotomayor has been a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit since 1998. Before joining the appeals court, she served as a United States District Court judge for the Southern District of New York.

She has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Justice David H. Souter, who plans to retire from the Supreme Court in June.

In what may be her best-known ruling, Judge Sotomayor issued an injunction against major league baseball owners in April 1995, effectively ending a baseball strike of nearly eight months, the longest work stoppage in professional sports history, which had led to the cancellation of the World Series for the first time in 90 years.

On the district court bench, Judge Sotomayor earned a reputation as a sharp, outspoken and fearless jurist, someone who does not let powerful interests bully, rush or cow her into a decision. "She does not have much patience for people trying to snow her," said one lawyer in 1995, who had cases pending before the judge and asked not to be identified. "You can't do it."

While still in her 30s, Judge Sotomayor became the youngest judge in the Southern District of New York. She was the first American of Puerto Rican descent to be appointed to the Federal bench in New York City.

Born in the Bronx on June 23, 1954, she was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 8. Her father, a factory worker, died a year later. Her mother, a nurse at a methadone clinic, raised her daughter and a younger son on a modest salary.

Judge Sotomayor graduated from Princeton University summa cum laude in 1976 and became an editor of the Yale Law Journal. She spent five years as a prosecutor with the Manhattan District Attorney's office before entering private practice.

But she longed to return to public service, she said, inspired by a "Perry Mason" episode she saw as a girl. In 1992, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan recommended the politically centrist lawyer to President George H. W. Bush, making good on a longstanding promise to appoint a Hispanic judge in New York.

Since then, Judge Sotomayor has demonstrated a willingness to take the government to task whenever she believes the circumstances warrant it. She has taken strong anti-government positions in several decisions, including cases involving the White House, the religious rights of prisoners and even the Hell's Angels. During her first year on the appeals bench, she received high ratings from liberal public-interest groups.

Judge Sotomayor is definitely the peoples favorite but Obama can do whatever he wants

I picked it should have placed a bet in Vegas .....Congratulations Judge SOTOMAYOR and VIVA PUERTO RICO

What does one thing have to do with the other? Last time I checked the Constitution the Supreme Court had nothing to do with a state being admitted into the Union.

Having lived and spent many years in PR and actually knowing a little about PR politics you will see you will see what one has to do with the other Dont be Because everybody wins Go to a Puerto Rican restaurant or club tonight all will be explained

Good pick , she will do a great job for all Americans.


Love www.latinsweetie.com

I'm not being envious, I just don't see how the two correlate.

You are correct about that and she will inspire the Latino Youth who need role models Hooray