Specter tells Sotomayor ‘conventional wisdom’ is that she’s in as next Supreme Court justice

October 5th, 2009 Supreme Court begins new term with new justiceWASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has begun its new term with a new look. As court convened today, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic justice, joined the eight others.

August 12th, 2009 Obama holds reception for new justice SotomayorWASHINGTON — The newest addition to the Supreme Court pays her nominator a visit Wednesday. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are to host a reception this morning for freshly minted Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic to sit on the high court.

August 8th, 2009 Sotomayor to be sworn in as justice SaturdayWASHINGTON —Sonia Sotomayor, her family and friends are gathering at the Supreme Court for her swearing-in as the court's first Hispanic, third woman and 111th justice. Chief Justice John Roberts planned to preside at two oath-taking ceremonies Saturday allowing Sotomayor to begin her new job.

August 6th, 2009 Sotomayor to be sworn in Saturday at high courtWASHINGTON — Sonia Sotomayor will be sworn in as the 111th justice of the Supreme Court on Saturday, with Chief Justice John Roberts administering two oaths of office. The 55-year-old Sotomayor will repeat one oath as prescribed by the Constitution in a private ceremony at the high court at 11 a.m.

August 6th, 2009 Obama hails confirmation of SotomayorWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is lauding the barrier-breaking confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor to be the first Hispanic justice on the Supreme Court. Said the president: "With this historic vote, the Senate has affirmed that Justice Sotomayor has the intellect, the temperament, the history, the integrity and the independence of mind to ably serve on our nation's highest court." Sotomayor will be sworn in on Saturday and appear with Obama at the White House on Wednesday.

August 6th, 2009 Senate sets Thursday vote on SotomayorWASHINGTON — The Senate has agreed to vote Thursday on confirming Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice. The historic vote on President Barack Obama's first high court nominee will take place in midafternoon.

July 16th, 2009 Graham says some detainees should never be freeWASHINGTON — A Republican senator is appealing to Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor to recognize the nature of the enemy as the country considers how to prosecute detainees from the war on terror. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told Sotomayor that some of the detainees, if released, will "try to kill us all." He said some of them "deserve to be in jail until they die." Graham says he hopes a "rational system of justice" for the detainees emerges.

July 15th, 2009 Specter frustrated by nomineeWASHINGTON — As Sen. Arlen Specter sees it, Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has an "exemplary" record on the bench.

July 14th, 2009 Sotomayor passes on chance to rate justicesWASHINGTON — Given a chance to say Tuesday which current Supreme Court justice or justices she most admires, Sonia Sotomayor took a pass. Answering a question from Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl, the 55-year-old Sotomayor declared: "To suggest that I admire one of the sitting Supreme Court justices would suggest that I think of myself as a clone of one of the judges.

July 14th, 2009 Specter not acting like the junior Democrat he isWASHINGTON — Democrat Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania sure didn't sound like a junior senator, even though he spoke next to last at Judge Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court confirmation hearing. That's because the man known as "Snarlin' Arlen" isn't a junior senator, just a junior Democrat.

July 14th, 2009 Sotomayor vows to keep open mind in gun casesWASHINGTON — Sonia Sotoymayor is seeking to reassure senators that she would not take any "preconceived notions" about gun rights to the Supreme Court if confirmed as a justice. The 55-year-old Sotomayor told the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday that "one of my Godchildren is a member of the NRA.

July 13th, 2009 Sotomayor arrives for hearingWASHINGTON — Sonia Sotomayor has arrived for her Senate Supreme Court confirmation hearing. As the week of hearings begins, Republicans and Democrats on the Judiciary Committee are renewing their debate over her qualifications to render justice impartially.

July 13th, 2009 Leahy says Sotomayor follows rule of lawWASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says Sonia Sotomayor will be a Supreme Court justice who's "committed to the law" and "not to ideology." Describing Sotomayor as an "outstanding" nominee at the start of her Senate confirmation hearing Monday, Sen. Patrick Leahy denounced what he described as efforts to distort Sotomayor's record and views.

June 5th, 2009 Buried in documents is a little Sotomayor humorWASHINGTON — Did you hear the one about the three judges who go duck hunting? Sonia Sotomayor has. The joke, as pieced together from the Supreme Court nominee's typed and handwritten notes for a 2006 speech at Hofstra University, goes like this: A Supreme Court justice, a circuit judge and a district judge go duck hunting.

May 31st, 2009 GOP senator: Sotomayor not better than a white manWASHINGTON — A GOP senator on the committee that will consider Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court nomination says her early life of hardship is praiseworthy. But it doesn't make her better than he or other white men.