Sonia Sotomayor
Born 1954 · Age 71
American lawyer and jurist; associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (nominated 2009). First Hispanic Supreme Court justice; former federal district and appeals judge; Princeton AB (summa cum laude), Yale JD; former ADA and private-practice partner; author of My Beloved World.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in the Bronx, New York
Sonia Maria Sotomayor born to Puerto Rican parents Juan and Celina Sotomayor in the Bronx, New York City.
Family moved to Bronxdale Houses (public housing)
Family moved from a South Bronx tenement to the Bronxdale Houses housing project in Soundview.
Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes
Diagnosed at age seven; began daily insulin injections and learned self-care skills.
Father Juan Sotomayor died
Father died of heart problems when Sonia was nine; family circumstances changed and her mother became sole provider.
Family moved to Co-op City
The family moved from the deteriorating Bronxdale Houses to Co-op City in the Northeast Bronx.
Graduated Cardinal Spellman High School (valedictorian)
Graduated as valedictorian; active on forensics (debate) team and student government.
Entered Princeton University (undergraduate)
Admitted to Princeton University (A.B. program); later credited affirmative action as part of admission context.
Acción Puertorriqueña filed complaint with HEW
As co-chair of Acción Puertorriqueña, Sotomayor and group filed a formal complaint alleging Princeton discriminated in hiring and admissions (April 1974).
Graduated Princeton summa cum laude; Pyne Prize; Phi Beta Kappa
Earned A.B. in history, summa cum laude; received Princeton's Moses Taylor Pyne Prize and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Senior thesis honored (Latin American Studies)
Wrote a 178-page senior thesis on Luis Muñoz Marín and Puerto Rican political/economic history; won honorable mention for the Latin American Studies Thesis Prize.
Married Kevin Noonan
Married Kevin Edward Noonan in the summer between Princeton graduation and starting Yale Law School.
Entered Yale Law School
Began J.D. studies at Yale Law School (classmates and activities included editing law journals and student organizations).
Received J.D. from Yale Law School
Awarded Juris Doctor in 1979; served as editor of Yale Law Journal and managing editor of Yale Studies in World Public Order.
Hired as Assistant District Attorney, Manhattan (Robert Morgenthau)
Joined New York County District Attorney's Office as a trial prosecutor; handled heavy caseloads, including violent felony prosecutions.
Active public service: long-term board roles
Served on multiple public interest and government boards across the 1980s–1992 including PRLDEF (1980–1992), NY Mortgage Agency (1987–1992), NYC Campaign Finance Board (1988–1992).
Admitted to the New York Bar
Passed the New York Bar and was admitted in 1980 after graduating from Yale Law School.
Joined board, Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund
Began serving on the PRLDEF board (served 1980–1992), working on voting rights, police brutality, death penalty, and employment practices.
Worked on Richard Maddicks prosecution
As an ADA, helped convict Richard Maddicks ('Tarzan Murderer') in 1983; gained reputation as a vigorous prosecutor.
Divorced Kevin Noonan
Marriage ended amicably in 1983; cited work pressures as a contributing factor though not sole cause.
Started informal solo practice 'Sotomayor & Associates'
Operated an informal consulting practice out of her Brooklyn apartment (1983–1986), advising friends and family and doing consulting legal work.
Joined Pavia & Harcourt (associate)
Entered private practice in commercial litigation, international law and intellectual property at Pavia & Harcourt in Manhattan.
Joined board, Maternity Center Association
Served on board of the Manhattan-based nonprofit focused on maternity care (1985–1986).
Profiled on Good Morning America
Appeared on Good Morning America in 1986 in a segment profiling women ten years after college graduation.
Appointed to State of New York Mortgage Agency board
Governor Mario Cuomo appointed her to the State of New York Mortgage Agency (served 1987–1992), engaging in affordable housing policy.
Became partner at Pavia & Harcourt
Promoted to partner at the firm after four years; worked on trademark, counterfeiting and international trade matters.
Founding member, New York City Campaign Finance Board
Appointed by Mayor Ed Koch as one of the founding members in 1988; served in implementing public matching funds and enforcement.
Nominated to U.S. District Court (Southern District of NY)
President George H. W. Bush nominated Sotomayor to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (seat vacated by John M. Walker Jr.).
Became first Puerto Rican woman federal judge in U.S.
Historic milestone: first Puerto Rican woman to serve on a U.S. federal court (Southern District of New York appointment in 1992).
Senate Judiciary Committee hearings (District Court)
Committee hearings in June 1992 went smoothly; pro bono activities praised by senators.
Confirmed to U.S. District Court by Senate (unanimous consent)
Confirmed by unanimous consent on August 11, 1992; received commission August 12, 1992; youngest judge in the Southern District and first Hispanic federal judge in New York State.
Received commission as U.S. District Judge (SDNY)
Officially began service as U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York on August 12, 1992.
Ruled in Dow Jones v. Department of Justice
Ruled that public had a substantial interest in the Vince Foster note and enjoined DOJ from blocking its release (1995).
Issued injunction ending MLB strike (Silverman v. MLB)
In Silverman v. Major League Baseball, issued preliminary injunction preventing MLB from using replacement players and effectively ended the 1994 strike 232 days after it began.
Ruled in New York Times Co. v. Tasini (district court)
Ruled that the publisher could license freelancers' work for an electronic archive; decision later reversed on appeal and the Supreme Court affirmed the reversal.
Ruled in Castle Rock Entertainment v. Carol Publishing
Found that a Seinfeld trivia book infringed on copyright and did not qualify as fair use; Second Circuit upheld her ruling.
Nominated to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
President Bill Clinton nominated Sotomayor to the Second Circuit seat vacated by J. Daniel Mahoney (nomination announced on her 43rd birthday).
Confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
Confirmed by the Senate on October 2, 1998 by a 67–29 vote and received commission October 7, 1998 (began service Oct 7).
Commissioned as Judge on Second Circuit
Officially began service on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on October 7, 1998.
Delivered Judge Mario G. Olmos Memorial Lecture at UC Berkeley
Presented 'A Latina Judge's Voice' in October 2001; lecture was later published in Berkeley La Raza Law Journal (2002).
Taught as adjunct at NYU and Columbia Law Schools (approx.)
Served as a lecturer/adjunct professor at New York University School of Law and Columbia Law School during her federal judicial career (dates span 1990s–2000s).
Part of panel in Maloney v. Cuomo (Second Circuit panel affirmed)
Was on a Second Circuit panel that affirmed a lower-court decision upholding New York's prohibition on nunchucks; cited in later Seventh Circuit decisions (2009).
Ended service on the Second Circuit
Term on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ended August 6, 2009 upon elevation to the Supreme Court.
Became first Hispanic and third woman on Supreme Court
Historic milestone: first person of Hispanic heritage and third woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Threw ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium (public event)
As a notable New York Yankees fan who grew up near Yankee Stadium, she threw a ceremonial first pitch (publicized event tied to her high-profile nomination/appointment period).
Second Circuit totals summarized at end of tenure
By the end of her Second Circuit service (1998–2009) she had heard more than 3,000 appeals and authored roughly 380 opinions.
Nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Barack Obama
President Obama nominated Sotomayor to fill the vacancy left by Justice David Souter (nomination announced May 26, 2009).
Confirmed by U.S. Senate to Supreme Court (vote recorded as 68–31)
Senate confirmed her nomination by a vote of 68 in favor and 31 against (August 2009 confirmation vote often cited as 68–31).
Assumed office as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Received Constitutional Oath and began service on the Supreme Court on August 8, 2009; first Hispanic justice and third woman to serve on the Court.
Bronxdale Houses renamed in her honor
The Bronxdale Houses where she grew up were renamed to honor Sonia Sotomayor (renaming took place in 2010).
Majority opinion: J.D.B. v. North Carolina (criminal justice concern)
On the Supreme Court, associated with concern for criminal defendants; authored or associated with majority in J.D.B. v. North Carolina (cases addressing police custody and juveniles).
Received Gold Medal of the Academy of Achievement
Presented the Gold Medal of the Academy of Achievement at the 2012 International Achievement Summit.
Published memoir 'My Beloved World'
Released autobiography recounting childhood, education, and early career; received excellent reviews and became a bestseller in English and Spanish editions.
Authored impassioned dissent in Schuette v. BAMN
Wrote notable dissent on issues of race and ethnic identity in the Schuette v. BAMN decision.
Dissent in Utah v. Strieff
Issued a notable dissent expressing concern about policing and race in Utah v. Strieff.
Speech at University of Michigan on education equality
Delivered a public speech reaffirming that equality in education is essential to achieving social equality (2017).
Dissent in Trump v. Hawaii
Issued a prominent dissent in the travel-ban related case Trump v. Hawaii, focusing on race and national origin issues.
Hosted dinner event with Jon Batiste honoring Judge Myron H. Thompson
Participated in East Conference Room dinner ceremonies co-hosted by Justices and The Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation featuring Jon Batiste; honored civil-rights and judicial legacy.
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