Will Sotomayor Shake Up Court?

She’s already shown herself to be a more open public persona than your average Supreme Court justice, and now speculation is mounting on how Justice Sonia Sotomayor will change the dynamic of the court when its new session begins Monday. Though the new judge is largely expected to side with the liberal-leaning members of the court, it remains to be seen how her personality will effect the dynamic of the bench. “This will be a very different court,” said Justice Anthony Kennedy. Given Sotomayor’s background as a prosecutor and a trial judge, some predict that she will show more sympathy to law-enforcement cases that come before the court. And with one new justice in place, pundits are now on retirement watch for the two judges most likely to step down during Obama’s term—Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John Paul Stevens.