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REGION: North America
TOPIC: Law
Online NewsHour
FORUM
Posted: May 29, 2009

Sotomayor's Supreme Court Bid

Forum Introduction
Sonia Sotomayor; AFP/Getty Images President Barack Obama has named Judge Sonia Sotomayor to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court, a choice that could make her the first Hispanic on the nation's highest court.
QUESTIONS
President Obama is a constitutional lawyer. What do you think the Sotomayor pick says about his view on the Supreme Court?
What do you find notable about Judge Sotomayor's career or past rulings? What do they signal about her judicial philosophy?
What will you be watching for during the confirmation process?
Is there any consideration being given to return to the earlier, more respectful confirmation process?
Judge Sotomayor attended Catholic school, but is she a practicing Catholic? If so, would this make six Roman Catholic justices?
What is the case citation of the firefighters reverse discrimination case? What did she write about the discriminatiion claim?
Jim Booth asks
Judge Sotomayor attended Catholic school, but is she a practicing Catholic? If she is, would this make six Roman Catholic judges on the Supreme Court?
ANSWERS
Marcia Coyle responds
Marcia Coyle responds

As far as we know at this time, Sotomayor attends church for family events. You are quite right that if confirmed, she would be the sixth Roman Catholic on the Supreme Court. If confirmed, she also will be the 12th Roman Catholic in history to serve on the court.

The court's current five Catholics are all on the conservative wing: John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Anthony M. Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. Kennedy, however, is often a swing vote. Sotomayor is more liberal than those five and would join that wing of the court, which includes John Paul Stevens (Protestant), the retiring David Souter (Episcopalian), Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer (both Jewish).

A little bit of history: President Andrew Jackson appointed the first Catholic to the Supreme Court: Roger Taney in 1835. Political scientist Barbara Perry of Sweet Briar College is working on a book about the Catholic justices.

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