Questions for Sotomayor

The confirmation hearings for Sonia Sotomayor are less than a week away. Senate staffers are pouring over judicial opinions, scholarly papers, speeches, and remnants of her past. They’re looking for questions, some that help her and some that will hurt her.

She won’t answer questions about abortion, capital punishment, the Ten Commandments located in a government facility, the future of affirmative action, and gay marriage. She won’t answer questions about legal issues that could  come before her as a member of the Supreme Court. And although this approach is frustrating to some, I think it’s the right approach. It’s the approach all Supreme Court nominees have taken in recent history.

Here are some questions that may not be asked but I’d like to hear answered:

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever made?

What’s been your biggest accomplishment?

What’s the most important guiding principle of your life?

Which Supreme Court justice of the past do you admire most and why?

If you had to recommend one book to a young person looking to find his/her way, what would it be?

Generally speaking, why are your judicial opinions so lengthy?

What is your greatest reservation about being a member of the Supreme Court?

What do you look forward to the most about being a member of the Court?

Other than a relative, who has been your greatest mentor?

I have lots more, but I’ll stop there.

1. 

   April says:

   July 8, 2009 at 12:43 pm

   http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/over-1000-law-professors-join-letter-endorsing-sotomayor/
2. 

   John Phillips says:

   July 8, 2009 at 1:57 pm

   Thanks, April. I wonder if all the professors are from the Ivy League.