Justice Sotomayor's First Oral Argument Tomorrow

Tomorrow at 10 a.m. the United States Supreme Court will hear oral argument in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The case was originally scheduled for oral argument last spring, but was put over by the Court for an unusual September argument to allow for further briefing by the parties.

The case has attracted broad interest. It will be the first oral argument before the Court in which Justice Sonia Sotomayor will participate and there is a natural curiosity regarding how active a questioner she will be. During her confirmation hearings, there were rumblings from some Senators that when she sat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit there were reports that she was, at times, curt and discourteous towards counsel.

The case also has attracted considerable interest because the Court will address the question of the limits on corporate financial contributions to candidates.