Confirmation of a judge, especially to the Supreme Court of the United States, is a major decision. This is a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land and I take this responsibility very seriously.

Judge Sonia Sotomayor has a record of over 400 appellate decisions. I will look to these to get a better understanding of how she interprets the law and applies judicial reasoning. Some cases are very complex and a single sentence will not necessarily reflect her philosophy. Unfortunately, supporters and opponents of Judge Sotomayor will attempt to do just that by turning some of those sentences into sound bites. In these instances I will be looking deeper into the case for a more thorough understanding of her approach.

I will also carefully listen to her responses when members of the Senate Judiciary Committee question her during the confirmation hearing. Application of the law is to be objective with sound legal reasoning. I am a firm believer that a judge is to rule on the merits of a case and should not use the position as a means to create law. Based on all of the information I review and learn, I will then be prepared to vote on the nomination of Judge Sotomayor.

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