Alliance for Justice Releases Sotomayor Criminal Justice Report

Analysis Shows Prudent Jurist with Respect for Rule of Law

June 16, 2009, Washington, DC—Today, Alliance for Justice releases the second in a series of reports analyzing the record of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.  Today's report examines her criminal justice record, including constitutional protections for defendants, criminal procedure, sentencing and habeas corpus petitions.

As the report observes, Judge Sotomayor's criminal law record "reveals the temperament of a former prosecutor who understands the real-world demands of prosecuting crime and fundamentally respects the rule of law while remaining alert to the rights of criminal defendants."

Judge Sotomayor's long tenure on the bench and her service in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office gives her more experience with criminal law than any of the current Supreme Court justices. She has been endorsed by eight national law enforcement groups and her extensive record in criminal law "proves her to be a careful, prudent jurist who adheres strictly to precedent."

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The full report is also available at www.allianceforjustice.org. A report on Judge Sotomayor's access to justice record is also available.  Additional reports on her business law and civil rights and constitutional law record are forthcoming.