Overview

• Justice Sonia Sotomayor emphasized the importance of judicial independence and adherence to the rule of law during a speech at Georgetown University Law Center.
• She warned that breaking societal norms undermines the foundation of the rule of law and risks arbitrary power leading to widespread unfairness.
• Sotomayor criticized public leaders, including lawyers, for making statements that challenge the rule of law, linking this to failures in legal education.
• Her remarks come as President Trump and his allies continue to criticize judges who blocked his policies, with calls for impeachments and alleged defiance of court orders raising fears of a constitutional crisis.
• Chief Justice John Roberts recently issued a rare public statement opposing the impeachment of judges over disagreements with their rulings, underscoring the judiciary's role in safeguarding democracy.