The latest candidate for the highest court in the land is federal judge Sonia Sotomayor. Sotomayor's legal experience began prosecuting crimes in the Manhattan district attorney's office. Those that knew her then speak highly of her dedication and commitment to bringing criminals justice. But what impact will these experiences have on her judgment as a member of the top court?
As a young prosecutor, Sotomayor saw the underbelly of American society on a daily basis. She was confronted with child pornographers, rapists, hookers, and a variety of criminal defendants. While some have argued that Sotomayor may be an overly-sympathetic liberal, her record as a prosecutor does not paint that picture. In fact, a look at her opinions as a federal judge show her siding with the government more often than not.
Sotomayor will bring fresh perspective to an area of our society that many in the highest offices of our land have little experience, criminal justice. In fact, Sotomayor has seen first-hand what some might consider "the worst of America." But who better to solve some of the difficult challenges presented by the intermingling of poverty and crime than someone who has over three decades of experience dealing with these types of issues.
After her prosecutorial career, Sotomayor brought her top-notch litigation skills to private practice. Further, she began to develop a sense of the intersection of policy and crime. This has caused her to spend much time reflecting about the effects of the way we view criminal activity and the punishment for criminal behavior.
Only time will tell where on the spectrum her judicial philosophy will fall. While most of her opinions as a federal judge are considered middle-of-the-road, it is likely that she will put a pro-prosecution touch on decisions related to criminal law and procedure. - 16890
As a young prosecutor, Sotomayor saw the underbelly of American society on a daily basis. She was confronted with child pornographers, rapists, hookers, and a variety of criminal defendants. While some have argued that Sotomayor may be an overly-sympathetic liberal, her record as a prosecutor does not paint that picture. In fact, a look at her opinions as a federal judge show her siding with the government more often than not.
Sotomayor will bring fresh perspective to an area of our society that many in the highest offices of our land have little experience, criminal justice. In fact, Sotomayor has seen first-hand what some might consider "the worst of America." But who better to solve some of the difficult challenges presented by the intermingling of poverty and crime than someone who has over three decades of experience dealing with these types of issues.
After her prosecutorial career, Sotomayor brought her top-notch litigation skills to private practice. Further, she began to develop a sense of the intersection of policy and crime. This has caused her to spend much time reflecting about the effects of the way we view criminal activity and the punishment for criminal behavior.
Only time will tell where on the spectrum her judicial philosophy will fall. While most of her opinions as a federal judge are considered middle-of-the-road, it is likely that she will put a pro-prosecution touch on decisions related to criminal law and procedure. - 16890
About the Author:
Mr. Kalakis is a former lawyer covering criminal lawnews. To read more about criminal law matters check out California criminal lawyer Sync's blog.
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