Sonia Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Born in the Bronx, New York, on June 25, 1954, she built a legal career that included work as a prosecutor, private attorney and federal judge before joining the Supreme Court in 2009.
Her career has included judicial service on both the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Early Life and Education
Sonia Sotomayor was born on June 25, 1954, in the Bronx, New York. She attended Princeton University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1976.
At Princeton, Sotomayor graduated summa cum laude, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and received the Pyne Prize, described by the Supreme Court as Princeton’s highest academic honor for an undergraduate.
She then attended Yale Law School, earning her Juris Doctor degree in 1979. While at Yale, she served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal.
Legal Career
After graduating from Yale, Sotomayor began her legal career in public service.
From 1979 to 1984, she worked as an assistant district attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office. She subsequently entered private practice in New York City, where she handled international commercial litigation at the law firm Pavia & Harcourt. She worked there as an associate and later became a partner.
Her private-practice career lasted from 1984 until 1992.
Federal Judicial Career
Sotomayor’s transition to the federal judiciary began with her nomination to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
President George H.W. Bush nominated her in 1991, and the Senate confirmed her in 1992. She served as a district judge from 1992 until 1998.
In 1997, President Bill Clinton nominated Sotomayor to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She was confirmed and began serving on the appellate court in 1998. She remained there until her appointment to the Supreme Court in 2009.
Sonia Sotomayor and the U.S. Supreme Court
President Barack Obama announced Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court on May 26, 2009.
The Senate confirmed her nomination on August 6, 2009. She took the judicial oath and assumed her position as an Associate Justice on August 8, 2009.
She became the first Hispanic and third woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
As of September 2026, Sotomayor remains an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
Sonia Sotomayor Biography at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Sonia Sotomayor |
| Born | June 25, 1954 |
| Birthplace | Bronx, New York |
| Profession | Attorney and jurist |
| Undergraduate education | Princeton University |
| Undergraduate degree | B.A., 1976 |
| Law school | Yale Law School |
| Law degree | J.D., 1979 |
| District court service | 1992–1998 |
| Court of Appeals service | 1998–2009 |
| Supreme Court appointment | 2009 |
| Current position | Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court |
Judicial Experience Before the Supreme Court
Before reaching the Supreme Court, Sotomayor accumulated more than a decade of federal judicial experience.
Her district court service in New York was followed by more than a decade on the Second Circuit. That progression gave her experience at both the trial and appellate levels of the federal judiciary.
Her professional path therefore included public prosecution, private legal practice, trial-level federal judging and appellate judging before she joined the nation’s highest court.
Sonia Sotomayor’s Supreme Court Role
As an Associate Justice, Sotomayor participates in deciding cases that come before the Supreme Court and in interpreting federal law and the U.S. Constitution.
Her opinions and participation in cases have made her a prominent figure in the American legal system, while her career before the Court provides the broader context for understanding her judicial background.
Her official Supreme Court biography continues to identify her as an Associate Justice.
Legacy and Public Career
Sotomayor’s career represents a progression through several major areas of the American legal system.
She began as a prosecutor in New York, moved into private commercial litigation, became a federal district judge, served on the Second Circuit and ultimately joined the Supreme Court.
Her appointment in 2009 marked a significant moment in the history of the Court, while her earlier judicial and legal experience established the professional background she brought to the Supreme Court.
Disclaimer
This biography is based primarily on official information from the Supreme Court of the United States, the Federal Judicial Center and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. It focuses on publicly documented aspects of Sonia Sotomayor’s education, legal career and judicial service and does not attempt to summarize every case, opinion or aspect of her personal life