Obama, Sotomayor and "empathy"

Obama, Sotomayor and "empathy"

Do ethnic and gender diversity on the Supreme Court bench matter? Is there a conflict between a judge exercising empathy in her decisions and interpreting the Constitution? Constitutional scholars Erwin Chemerinsky and Ilya Somin debate President Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.

Empathy, elections and justices

11:04 AM PDT, May 29, 2009

Dust-Up

Empathy, elections and justices

Today's topic: How much of a mandate does President Obama have to structure the Supreme Court bench as he prefers?

Is there a conflict between empathy and good judging?

May 28, 2009

Dust-Up

Is there a conflict between empathy and good judging?

Today's topic: President Obama has come under fire for his "empathy" standard in selecting a Supreme Court nominee. Is there a conflict between considering the real-world implications of Supreme Court decisions and staying true to the intent of the Constitution and federal law?

Do race and gender matter for the Supreme Court?

May 27, 2009

Dust-Up

Do race and gender matter for the Supreme Court?

Today's topic: Much has been made of the fact that Sonia Sotomayor would be the first Latina justice, and sitting Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has said she feels "lonely" as the only woman on the bench. How much, if at all, does the ethnic and gender diversity of the Supreme Court bench matter?

Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times

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