Newswise — President Barack Obama announced today that he is appointing Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. Indiana University law professors offer their comments on the the nomination and are available for interviews.
MARIA PABON LOPEZ, law professor at the Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis, said judge Sotomayor's "incredible American story" and 30-year distinguished career in nearly every aspect of the law provide her with unique qualifications to be the next Supreme Court justice.
"This is an exciting day -- one for which the Latino community in the U.S. had been eagerly awaiting," López said. "President Obama is to be commended for his choice. As a fellow Puerto Rican and Princeton graduate, the nomination of Judge Sotomayor has special significance for me. I know her path has not been an easy one, overcoming obstacles and breaking barriers all the way, yet she is an accomplished jurist who makes the rule of law, fairness and justice her top priorities. As the only Latino law professor at my school and the first Latino tenured here as well, Judge Sotomayor's nomination gives me hope that the Supreme Court will have a member who understands the struggles of those of us who work in systems where we have been and continue to be underrepresented."
López said it is notable that as a prosecutor, litigator and trial and appellate judge, Judge Sotomayor brings more federal judicial experience to the Supreme Court than any justice in 100 years, and more overall judicial experience than anyone confirmed for the court in the past 70 years. She said Judge Sotomayor is widely admired as a judge with a sophisticated grasp of legal doctrine and a keen awareness of the laws impact on everyday life.
"She understands that upholding the rule of law means going beyond legal theory to ensure consistent, fair, common-sense application of the law to real-world facts," López said.
López is co-director of the Latin American Law Summer Program and is a Dean's Fellow. She is an appointed member of the Indiana Supreme Court's Court Interpreter Certification Advisory Board, a project of the Race and Gender Fairness Commission. She is also an inaugural member of the Latino Affairs Committee of the Indiana State Bar.
KEVIN COLLINS, professor of law at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law-Bloomington, clerked for Judge Sotomayor in 2002-03 in New York City when she served on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
"Judge Sotomayor was a terrific judge and fantastic boss," he said. "She approached her cases with an open mind, urging me and her other clerks to present the full spectrum of arguments that could be made in the difficult cases. Judge Sotomayor wanted to understand the diverse range of perspectives from which complex legal issues could be seen. However, after reaching out to get a wide-angle view of a case and its consequences, she would then make reasoned decisions that brought the law to bear on the facts and wrote opinions that clearly explained those decisions.
"I'm proud to have clerked for Judge Sotomayor, and I'm truly happy for her on a personal level that she's received the honor of being nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. Based on my experience in her chambers, I believe that President Obama has done a great service to the country in his nomination of Judge Sotomayor."
Collins' research is focused in patent law and intellectual property law, and he teaches courses in both subjects.
GERARD MAGLIOCCA, professor of law at the Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis, has known Sotomayor for about 13 years, having visited and spoken with her on a range of issues. During law school, Magliocca was an intern in Sotomayer's District Court chambers. Later, he clerked for a Second Circuit judge who served on panels with Judge Sotomayor and therefore observed Sotomayor's oral arguments.
"Judge Sotomayor is a superb choice," Magliocca said. "She is thoughtful, tough and has excellent judgment. She should be confirmed without too much trouble. In the short term, her appointment will not change the balance of the Court, but over the longer term I think she will have a significant impact."
Magliocca teaches courses in torts, constitutional law, intellectual property and legal history. He contributes regularly to the legal issues blog Concurring Opinions.
CRAIG BRADLEY, the Robert A. Lucas Professor of Law at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law-Bloomington, clerked for former U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist from 1975-76.
"Judge Sotomayor is a highly qualified judge who can bring to the Supreme Court the insights of someone who has served as a trial judge, unlike any of the other justices," Bradley said. "Her Hispanic heritage will make it difficult for Republicans to attack her without damaging themselves even further with Hispanic voters. And her 'up from poverty' life story will likely appeal to many voters. While some questions have been raised about her intellectual firepower, her background suggests that she is fully up to the task."
Bradley is the author of The Rehnquist Legacy, published in 2006.
DAVID ORENTLICHER, the Samuel R. Rosen Professor of Law at the Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis, hailed the nomination for increasing the diversity of the Supreme Court.
"President Obama's nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor is justifiably historic," Orentlicher said. "It is critical to ensure that our most important institutions are open to persons of all backgrounds. We have had too few women and no persons of Hispanic ethnicity serve as a Supreme Court Justice. This nomination demonstrates that a greater diversity of qualified persons are welcome on the bench of the Supreme Court."
Orentlicher, who holds both law and medical degrees, is co-director of the William S. and Christine S. Hall Center for Law and Health and served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2002-08.
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