“Seeing my mother get back to her studies was all the proof I needed that a chain of emotion can persuade when one forged of logic won't hold. But more important was her example that a surplus of effort could overcome a deficit of confidence. It was something I would remember often in years ahead, whenever faced with fears that I wasn't smart enough to succeed.”

American lawyer and jurist

Sonia Sotomayor is an American lawyer and jurist who has served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 2009. Nominated by President Barack Obama, she became the third woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. Her place in American legal history is closely tied to that appointment, which began on August 8, 2009. She is known for her work on the nation’s highest court and for public remarks that often reflect law, justice, and the responsibilities of office.