Quotes From Sotomayor Hearings

Supreme Court reversal of Ricci "applied a new standard" to "a different area of law."

"I do not believe that any ethnic or racial group... has an advantage in sound judgment. I do believe everyone has the opportunity to be a wise judge regardless of their background."

"At no point in time have I allowed my personal prejudices or sympathies to influence the outcome of a case."

“We apply laws to facts; we don't apply feelings to facts.”

"The process of judging is the process of keeping an open mind.”

"I don't prejudge."

"The court's decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey reaffirmed the court holding of Roe. That is the precedent of the court and settled, in terms of the holding of the court.”

"My record shows that at no point or time have I ever permitted my personal views or sympathies to influence an outcome of a case. In every case where I have identified a sympathy, I have articulated it and explained to the litigant why the law requires a different result."

“I think life experiences generally, whether it's that I'm a Latina or was a state prosecutor or have been a commercial litigator or been a trial judge and an appellate judge, that the mixture of all — of all of those things, the amalgam of them, help me to listen and understand.”

On "wise Latina" remark: "From the attention that my words have gotten and the manner in which it has been understood by some people... my words failed. They didn't work."

"We don't render decisions to please the home crowd or any other crowd."

On "wise Latina" comments: "I regret that I have offended some people. I believe my life demonstrates that it was not my intent to leave the impression that some people got."