US Senate votes in first Hispanic Supreme Court judge

Published on 07/08/2009 00:29

THE highest legal authority in the United States will have its first Hispanic voice following the confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.

The US Senate voted 68 to 31 in favour of president Barack Obama's first nominee to the court last night, making her the country's 111th justice and only the third women to hold a post on the panel.

Ms Sotomayor's appointment has not been without controversy. Some have accused the Bronx-born judge of personal bias, pointing towards a 2001 statement in which she implied that a female Latino judge would make better decisions than a white man.

Despite opposition from some conservatives, Ms Sotomayor will now be sworn in tomorrow.

Mr Obama said it was a "wonderful day", not just for Ms Sotomayor, 55, but for the whole of the country.

"With this historic vote, the Senate has affirmed that Judge Sotomayor has the intellect, the temperament, the history, the integrity and the independence of mind to ably serve on our nation's highest court," the president added.

The size of the Democrat's majority in the Senate was boosted with nine Republicans who broke ranks to back the confirmation.

Nonetheless, most Republicans voted against her.

Opponents have suggested that Ms Sotomayor is too liberal and would bring a personal bias to the role.