President Obama named federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor as the nation’s first Puerto Rican Supreme Court justice on Tuesday. President Obama called her “an inspiring woman” with both the intellect and compassion to interpret the Constitution wisely.
In his speech nominating Sotomayor today, President Obama stated that she has more experience as a judge than any current member of the high court had when they were nominated.
Sotomayor will join Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the second woman on the current Supreme Court if confirmed. She will also become only the third woman in history to serve on the Supreme Court.