Supreme Court begins new term with 2nd woman, Sonia Sotomayor, on bench

September 8th, 2009 Sotomayor takes her place on high court benchWASHINGTON — Justice Sonia Sotomayor has taken her seat at the Supreme Court in front of a packed courtroom that included President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. The ceremony Tuesday was just for show.

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 8th, 2009 Sotomayor is sworn in as Supreme Court justiceWASHINGTON —It's Justice Sotomayor now. Sonia Sotomayor has been sworn in as the Supreme Court's first Hispanic justice.

August 3rd, 2009 McCain to oppose Sotomayor for Supreme CourtWASHINGTON — Republican Sen. John McCain says he'll oppose Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor when the Senate votes on her confirmation this week.

July 17th, 2009 Top Senate Republican to oppose SotomayorWASHINGTON — The Senate's top Republican will vote against Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. A senior aide says Kentucky Sen.

July 16th, 2009 Sotomayor can get by on justice's payWASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor says she's lived on a judge's salary for 17 years, and she can, in her words, "suffer through more of it." Supreme Court justices make a little more than $200,000 a year. Sotomayor was responding Thursday to questions from Republican Sen.

July 16th, 2009 Morgenthau praises Sotomayor for high courtWASHINGTON — Veteran New York district attorney Robert Morgenthau is praising one of his former assistants, Sonia Sotomayor, as someone who can be an "outstanding" member of the Supreme Court. Morgenthau told the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday that as an assistant district attorney, Sotomayor understood the importance of every criminal case to the victim.

July 14th, 2009 Gonzales: Sotomayor should explain herself to GOPWASHINGTON — The country's first Hispanic attorney general said Tuesday that the woman who would be its first Hispanic Supreme Court justice still has some convincing to do if she wishes to get Republican support. "We're all affected by our experiences ...

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 14th, 2009 Sotomayor: 'Open mind' key to effective judgingWASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has told the Senate Judiciary Committee that she believes it's important that judges keep "an open mind" about cases before them. On Day 2 of her confirmation hearings, the native of South Bronx got to answer senators' questions for the first time publicly about what style she would bring to the nation's highest court.

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 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 12th, 2009 Sessions: Sotomayor must show she can be neutralWASHINGTON — The senior Republican senator who will question Sonia Sotomayor says the Supreme Court nominee must demonstrate she will not show bias on the bench. Alabama Sen.

June 30th, 2009 New York City bar: Sotomayor 'highly qualified'WASHINGTON — New York City's bar association says Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is "highly qualified" to be a justice. The group calls Sotomayor exceptionally qualified on all its key criteria for a high court nominee.

May 31st, 2009 GOP senator: Stop calling Sotomayor a 'racist'WASHINGTON — The top Republican involved in the confirmation hearings for President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee says he would prefer his colleagues refrain from calling Sonia Sotomayor a racist. Sen. Jeff Sessions said Sunday that he would prefer fellow Republicans stop attacking Sotomayor over remarks about her background as a daughter of Puerto Rican parents.