COLUMBIA – The nomination of U.S. Circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court has raised questions about her legal background and how she might rule on issues concerning religion.
If appointed, Sotomayor would become the first Hispanic and the third female in U.S. history to serve on the high court. As a Democrat and a Roman Catholic, Sotomayor's nomination has caused much dialogue concerning her political alignment and many see her as having moderate views.
In a news release, Richard Reuben, a professor at the MU School of Law and a U.S. Supreme Court specialist, commented on the significance of her background.
"Judge Sotomayor is a liberal centrist who may be influential in helping Justice (Anthony) Kennedy, a conservative centrist and often the swing vote on the court's closest issues, see things from a different perspective," he said. "Kennedy cares deeply about the impact of the court's work on people's lives, and seeing this perspective may move Justice Kennedy in particular cases, not necessarily away from the conservative majority, but toward more moderate opinions."
However, some have worried about Sotomayor's Catholic background and how it might shape her policies, especially involving abortion issues. If Sotomayor becomes the next Supreme Court justice, she will be the sixth Catholic of nine justices.
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