Spring Break
Sotomayor's nomination felt from D.C. to Athens
CAREY O'NEIL
Issue date: 6/18/09 Section: News
"I can't be sure of how large of an impact Sotomayor will have," he told The Red & Black. "Justices and their decisions have surprised the past presidents that nominated them."
Rodriguez pointed out the significance of Sotomayor's nomination. "[Her] potential confirmation as the third woman and first Hispanic ever to serve on the Supreme Court is one of obvious importance," he said.
Lori Ringhand, an associate law professor specializing in Supreme Court confirmations, said apart from those important factors, she expects Sotomayor to be very similar to Justice David Souter, the man she is set to replace.
"The court is pretty divided on controversial issues that generate public attention in essentially a 4-4-1 block," she said, adding that Sotomayor will likely continue this balance.
But still, "All the justices have their quirks," she said.
Ringhand said Sotomayor was a strong pick for President Obama .
"She had been at the top of most peoples' short list," she said. "I would expect her to be confirmed with relative ease."
Sotomayor's resume is similar to those of most modern Supreme Court nominations, with extensive judicial experience but little political experience.
"I think we've lost a deep understanding on the part of the justices on how the other branches of government work, and I think that's a loss," Ringhand said.
"Justice [Sandra Day] O'Connor was the last justice to have political experience, and you could see in her opinions an understanding of how legislature works," she said.
Ringhand said regardless of how Sotomayor's appointment turns out, the process of a Supreme Court nomination brings up important issues for the country to examine.
"Confirmation hearings at their best really can be educative moments about constitutional law," she said. "It's really a conversation we as a country need to have."
Rodriguez pointed out the significance of Sotomayor's nomination. "[Her] potential confirmation as the third woman and first Hispanic ever to serve on the Supreme Court is one of obvious importance," he said.
Lori Ringhand, an associate law professor specializing in Supreme Court confirmations, said apart from those important factors, she expects Sotomayor to be very similar to Justice David Souter, the man she is set to replace.
"The court is pretty divided on controversial issues that generate public attention in essentially a 4-4-1 block," she said, adding that Sotomayor will likely continue this balance.
But still, "All the justices have their quirks," she said.
Ringhand said Sotomayor was a strong pick for President Obama .
"She had been at the top of most peoples' short list," she said. "I would expect her to be confirmed with relative ease."
Sotomayor's resume is similar to those of most modern Supreme Court nominations, with extensive judicial experience but little political experience.
"I think we've lost a deep understanding on the part of the justices on how the other branches of government work, and I think that's a loss," Ringhand said.
"Justice [Sandra Day] O'Connor was the last justice to have political experience, and you could see in her opinions an understanding of how legislature works," she said.
Ringhand said regardless of how Sotomayor's appointment turns out, the process of a Supreme Court nomination brings up important issues for the country to examine.
"Confirmation hearings at their best really can be educative moments about constitutional law," she said. "It's really a conversation we as a country need to have."
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Reeve Tuesti
Reeve Tuesti
posted 6/18/09 @ 10:53 AM EST
Genius R&B editors, you have done it again. It's not "pour over," it's "pore over."
http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/pore.html
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