Alliance for Justice Report Provides In-Depth Examination of Sotomayor’s Record

Analysis Reveals Careful, Reasoned Approach to Access to Justice Issues

June 9, 2009, Washington, DC—Today, Alliance for Justice released the first in a series of in-depth reports examining the record of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.  Alliance for Justice will release a new report a week, providing thorough analysis of key areas of Judge Sotomayor’s record: access to justice, criminal law, civil rights, constitutional law and business and consumer law.

Today’s report tackles access to justice, which implicates a person’s right to be heard and seek redress in a court of law.  Access to justice issues encompass a number of procedural questions including justiciability, preemption, court-stripping, sovereign immunity, attorneys’ fees, interpretation of statutes of limitation and class-action certification. The report examines Judge Sotomayor’s record in each of these key areas and is based on her record both as a district and appeals court judge.

According to the report, “Judge Sonia Sotomayor has a careful, cautious and reasoned approach to access to justice issues.  Her rulings are well within the legal mainstream.”  The report further notes, “Judge Sotomayor shows no bias for or against plaintiffs.  She shows sensitivity toward persons bringing claims, but always grounds her decision-making on the law and binding authority.”

» Read AFJ's report The Sotomayor Record: Access to Justice
» Learn more about The Sotomayor nomination on Supreme Court Watch