President Obama's Full Statement On Retirement Of Justice Stevens

During a brief appearance in the Rose Garden Friday, President Barack Obama addressed an announcement by Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens that he will retire at the end of the summer term. (2:31)
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Schumer Salutes 9 GOP'ers Who Voted To Confirm Sotomayor

Sen Chuck Schumer (D- N.Y.) says he salutes the "courage" of the 9 Republican Senators who voted for Sotomayor despite of immense pressure from their party to vote no. (0:20)
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Leahy: Obama Nominated Most Qualified Person

If another vacancy appears on the Supreme Court, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) suggests President Obama "pick the most qualified person possible and nominate them. That's what he did and that's what he'll do if there's another vacancy." (0:15)
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Sen. Whitehouse Says Sotomayor Confirmation Will Be Historic

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) speaks at a rally in support of the confimration Judge Sonia Sotomayor. "Let us hope that as history looks back on this day it notes the historic occasion of the confirmation of Justice Sotomayor and not the Republicans' strange and strained efforts to impose right-wing political orthodoxy on our courts and judges," Whitehouse says. (0:19)
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America Changed For The Better With Sotomayor Selection, Says Sen. Graham

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor could inspire young women, particularly young latinas, to enter a career in law. The Senator goes on to say that America changed for the better following her selection. (0:22)
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How Did Supreme Court Confirmation Battles Become So Contentious?

With a filibuster-proof 60 Democratic seats in the Senate, Judge Sonia Sotomayor has nothing to worry about. Unless the senators discover something completely unexpected and horrifying about her past, she will be the next Supreme Court justice. And yet she still faces heated opposition and rhetoric from the Republican minority.

How did Supreme Court confirmation battles become so contentious? And why do some nominees face loads of opposition while others sail through? TRNS Legal Affairs Correspondent Matthew S. Schwartz interviews various Supreme Court experts to try to figure out how things got quite so heated.

(4:51)
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Judges Aren't Lawmakers, Says Sotomayor

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) asks Judge Sonia Sotomayor whether or not she believes judges make the law. She says no, but they do change the way of viewing the law. Sotomayor adds that they change their thinking based on things like: facts, theories and affirmations. (0:52)
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Sotomayor: I Ask Lawyers The Tough Questions

During her confirmation hearings Tuesday, Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor was asked about how she felt about the harsh reviews by litigators in the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary. Sotomayor responded that she simply asks lawyers the tough questions in court. (0:31)
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Sen. Graham To Sotomayor: Don't Become A Speechwriter If Law Doesn't Work Out For You

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) joked to Supreme Court nominee Sotomayor during her confirmation hearing Tuesday that she should not become a speechwriter because it may result in a miscommunication of what she actually means to say. This comment came in reference to the much talked about speech in which Sotomayor said that a "wise Latina woman" would make a better decision than a white man. (0:13)
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Sotomayor Defends Her Consistency With The Rule Of Law

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor defends her decision making process and advises Senators to look at her record for proof that she is consistent with the rule of law. Though she said she recognizes that there are situations in which one may feel empathy for someone else, she reaffirmed that the rule of law is final. (1:01)
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Sotomayor Discusses Detention of Japanese Americans During WWII

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor discusses the detention of Japanese Americans during World War II, a practice that was upheld by the Supreme Court of the time. "A judge should never rule from fear," she says. "A judge should rule from law and the Constitution." (0:23)
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Sotomayor Rejects Empathy Standard

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor says that the "empathy standard" advanced by President Obama as one that marks a good judge is not necessarily one that she would use in her own judicial philosophy. "Judges can't rely on what's in their heart." (0:36)
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Sen. Leahy: Senate Should Give American People Clear Understanding Of Who Sotomayor Is

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said that if the Senate does it's job during the ongoing hearings, the American people will have a clear understanding of who Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is. Leahy added that he does not expect a party-line vote to confirm Sotomayor (0:41)
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Sessions Questions Sotomayor About Impartial Judgement

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says that he agrees with the statements on impartiality that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has made during her confirmation hearings, but he says that her record suggests that she believes a judge's personal experiences should impact his interpretation of the law. (0:48)
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Sotomayor Clarifies "Wise Latina Woman" Comment

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor says that life experiences will affect a judge's thinking, but that these experiences should be set aside to provide an impartial result based on the law. (0:52)
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Sotomayor Says Race And Gender Do Not Necessarily Affect Good Judgement

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor says that her comments regarding a "wise Latina woman" have been misunderstood. She says that she does not believe that any person is more capable of good judgment based on their race or gender. (0:42)
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Sen. Whitehouse Asks Sotomayor To Use Discretion Wisely

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) tells Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor that he'd like to avoid code words and is looking for her to give a simple pledge to use the broad discretion of a Supreme Court Justice wisely. (0:31)
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SCOTUSblog Founder Tom Goldstein Discusses "Poisonous" Atmosphere of Court Nominations

Supreme Court nominations have become increasingly contentious in recent years. It seems that no matter how qualified a nominee is, he or she is going to face a passionate confirmation battle. Supreme Court expert Tom Goldstein joins TRNS Legal Affairs Correspondent Matthew S. Schwartz to discuss what he calls the "poisonous" atmosphere of Court nominations. Goldstein, a partner with Akin Gump, is a Supreme Court litigator, lecturer at Harvard and Stanford law schools, and founder of SCOTUSblog, a popular Web site focused on Supreme Court issues.

(13:08)
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Rep. Velázquez: Hispanic Community Proud Of Sotomayor

Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) says Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court is a historic moment for Latinos and Latinas. She says it gives them a sense of pride to see someone from their [Hispanic] community rise past so many obstacles and challenges and earn her place on the "highest court in the land." (0:23)
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Rep. Gonzalez Discusses The Role Of The Hispanic Caucus In Sotomayor's Appointment

Rep. Charles Gonzalez says the Congressional Hispanic Caucus wrote a letter to President Barack Obama on April 29, requesting that he consider the appointing a Latino in the event of a vacancy on the Supreme Cout. He says the President responded that he would consider two things in seeking appointments at all levels, excellence and diversity. On May 1, Justice David Souter announced his resignation. Gonzalez says there was no compromise in seeking both excellence and diversity when the President nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor. (0:52)
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