Sotomayor Apologizes to Kavanaugh for Personal Remarks

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has formally apologized to fellow Justice Brett Kavanaugh for critical comments she made about him during a public speech. The apology occurred during the justices' private weekly conference. It followed a speech Sotomayor gave last week at the University of Kansas School of Law. In that speech, she discussed Kavanaugh's legal views in a past immigration case. Her criticism, however, became unusually personal in nature. The exact wording of her remarks has not been made public. Such a direct, personal apology between justices is rare. It underscores the Court's tradition of maintaining professional respect, despite strong ideological differences. Both justices have accepted the apology and moved forward. The incident is considered resolved within the Court.