Center for Reproductive Law & Policy v. Bush: Background on Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s 2002 Opinion
Federal appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor has been nominated by President Barack Obama to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter. Judge Sotomayor currently sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Although she has not ruled on the constitutional right to abortion, in 2002, Judge Sotomayor authored an opinion in a case brought by the Center for Reproductive Rights (at that time the Center for Reproductive Law &, Policy). The lawsuit challenged the reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule or “Mexico City Policy” which prohibited U.S.-funded family planning organizations based overseas from providing abortion services or engaging in speech intended to ease restrictions on abortion.