Sonia Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was nominated by President Barack Obama in May 2009 and confirmed by the Senate in August 2009. She is the first Hispanic and Latina Justice in the history of the Supreme Court. Sotomayor has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit since 1998 and is known for her passionate and powerful legal opinions. She is a strong advocate for civil rights and social justice.