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Quiz about Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Quiz about Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Justice Sonia Sotomayor Trivia Quiz


This quiz is on Sonia Sotomayor, the third female justice to serve on the US Supreme Court.

A multiple-choice quiz by Joepetz. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
Joepetz
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
379,617
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
279
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Question 1 of 10
1. Although she was born in the Bronx, where were Sonia Sotomayor's parents born? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. When she was first appointed to the federal bench in 1992, Sotomayor told the "New York Times" that she had wanted to be a judge ever since she was a little girl, watching which television program? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Sonia Sotomayor majored in history at Princeton, and after graduating went to law school in 1976 at which other Ivy League university? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. After graduating from law school, Sotomayor was hired as an assistant district attorney for New York County under which influential district attorney? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Sonia Sotomayor was nominated for a spot on the federal bench in 1992 on the court for the Southern District of New York by President George H.W. Bush on the recommendation of Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Moynihan made what prediction at the time that would later prove true? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. One of Sotomayor's most famous opinions while on the court for the Southern District of New York was issued on March 30, 1995 and ended what event that lasted for 232 days? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Sotomayor was nominated by Bill Clinton for a judgeship on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in 1997. This nomination caused controversy and was delayed by Senate Republicans until which Republican New York senator was able to convince his party to let the Senate vote on her confirmation? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Her nomination to the Supreme Court in 2009 by Barack Obama brought back memories of the fight to confirm her appointment to the Second Circuit nearly twelve years prior. Republicans attacked her on, among other things, her ruling in Ricci v. DeStefano, a ruling that had recently been overturned by the Supreme Court. That case involved what controversial topic? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The very first case Sotomayor heard on the Supreme Court was the infamously controversial Citizens United v. FEC, a decision that struck down bans on independent political expenditures. How did Sotomayor rule in this case? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The first case in which Sotomayor wrote the majority opinion was Mohawk Industries, Inc v. Carpenter, a case involving attorney-client privilege. However, it is the first time a Supreme Court opinion used which term? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Although she was born in the Bronx, where were Sonia Sotomayor's parents born?

Answer: Puerto Rico

Sotomayor said she identifies as "Nuyorican" which refers to people of Puerto Rican descent who were not born there and were raised in New York City. Her father, Juan, was a die maker and her mother Celina was a telephone operator.
2. When she was first appointed to the federal bench in 1992, Sotomayor told the "New York Times" that she had wanted to be a judge ever since she was a little girl, watching which television program?

Answer: Perry Mason

Sotomayor originally said she wanted to be a detective after reading the "Nancy Drew" series but her took up a legal career because her diabetes prevented her from becoming a detective. During her time in high school, she was on the forensics team and was her class valedictorian. She was appointed to the U.S. District Court on August 12, 1992.
3. Sonia Sotomayor majored in history at Princeton, and after graduating went to law school in 1976 at which other Ivy League university?

Answer: Yale

Sonia Sotomayor got accepted into Princeton despite narrowly missing the qualifications because of her test scores. She later explained that this was due to affirmative action because of her impoverished background. She described herself as being shy in Princeton and having to work harder than her classmates because who all went to elite high schools. She also said she was uncomfortable because there were few women at Princeton.

The same thing happened to her at Yale where she narrowly missed the qualifications for test scores but up for it because of her high marks at Princeton. At Yale, she also said she was one of few women.
4. After graduating from law school, Sotomayor was hired as an assistant district attorney for New York County under which influential district attorney?

Answer: Robert Morgenthau

Robert Morgenthau was an important influence on her life. As assistant district attorney, Sotomayor prosecuted a variety of crimes and would go into unsafe neighborhoods to personally interview witnesses. Later in life, Sotomayor sought elevation to higher offices within the judiciary branch of government, but because she was an independent and not registered to a party, she had no connections. Morgenthau often would promote her to certain officials to gain their attention of her.
5. Sonia Sotomayor was nominated for a spot on the federal bench in 1992 on the court for the Southern District of New York by President George H.W. Bush on the recommendation of Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Moynihan made what prediction at the time that would later prove true?

Answer: Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice

She would become the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice in 2009. Sotomayor was extremely well qualified in the opinion of both Democrats and Republicans, though her nomination was put on hold for political reasons having nothing to do with her. It was later lifted.
6. One of Sotomayor's most famous opinions while on the court for the Southern District of New York was issued on March 30, 1995 and ended what event that lasted for 232 days?

Answer: A baseball strike

Sotomayor ended the 1994 baseball strike with her decision in Silverman v. Major League Baseball Player Relations Committee, Inc. She sided with the players and allowed their collective bargaining agreement to go into effect. The decision came down the day before the baseball season was to begin.

As a result of this case, Sotomayor became a national figure in the judicial world and a favorite judge among baseball fans.
7. Sotomayor was nominated by Bill Clinton for a judgeship on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in 1997. This nomination caused controversy and was delayed by Senate Republicans until which Republican New York senator was able to convince his party to let the Senate vote on her confirmation?

Answer: Al D'Amato

Republicans accused Bill Clinton of pushing Sotomayor through the federal judiciary just to get her on the Supreme Court as soon as possible, even though there was no vacancy and no indication Clinton was considering her for a seat. Democrats accused Republicans of being afraid to confirm a Hispanic female judge, even though they had confirmed her five years prior.

Al D'Amato was expecting a tough battle for re-election in 1998 (a battle he would lose) and after several influential newspaper columnists in New York and thousands of petition signers sided with Democrats, D'Amato managed to convince his colleagues to vote on her confirmation. Sotomayor was approved by a 67-29 vote.
8. Her nomination to the Supreme Court in 2009 by Barack Obama brought back memories of the fight to confirm her appointment to the Second Circuit nearly twelve years prior. Republicans attacked her on, among other things, her ruling in Ricci v. DeStefano, a ruling that had recently been overturned by the Supreme Court. That case involved what controversial topic?

Answer: Affirmative action

Sotomayor had ruled in favor of the town of New Haven. New Haven had declined to promote several fire fighters (mostly white but some Hispanic) who passed the necessary test because no African-Americans did. The Supreme Court narrowly overruled her and sided with the fire fighters. Sotomayor defended her original ruling by stating that it was consistent with past precedent on the topic.

She was confirmed 68-31.
9. The very first case Sotomayor heard on the Supreme Court was the infamously controversial Citizens United v. FEC, a decision that struck down bans on independent political expenditures. How did Sotomayor rule in this case?

Answer: With the majority in part and dissenting in part

Sotomayor (and all justices except Clarence Thomas) sided with the part of the opinion that upheld disclosure of contributions but dissented in respect to the rest of the opinion. She joined John Paul Stevens dissent that the decision was a serious detriment to American democracy by undermining the fair election system to create one with an emphasis on money.
10. The first case in which Sotomayor wrote the majority opinion was Mohawk Industries, Inc v. Carpenter, a case involving attorney-client privilege. However, it is the first time a Supreme Court opinion used which term?

Answer: "Undocumented immigrant" in place of "illegal immigrant"

The case involved allegations that Mohawk Industries was hiring undocumented immigrants and Carpenter was fired from his job after he refused to take the allegations back. Carpenter had previously had a conversation on the topic with the company's lawyer, a move that the Court decided meant Mohawk waived its right to attorney-client privilege.
Source: Author Joepetz

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor stedman before going online.
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