I recently appeared before Judge Sotomayor. As an immigration practitioner with almost 13 years litigation experience I was impressed by Judge Sotomayor's understanding of the law. The argument I presented was complex and layered, and she was able to cut right to the heart of the issue presented, asking astute questions that reflected her understanding of the law.
That being said, Sotomayor has a reputation as being a bit of a bully on the bench. I have not personally experienced that, and felt that her judicial temperament was adequate. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that she was in control of her Court room, but she gave me the opportunity to answer specific questions, and listened to my argument, eventually incorporating it into her opinion. Needless to say I did not feel bullied, nor have I witnessed her bullying any other attorneys who presented arguments before the Court.
As for her ability to serve as a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, in my opinion there are much worse judges out there. She will be confirmed as she has the votes, so only history will tell.
No comments:
Post a Comment