20 Questions for Sonia Sotomayor

Of course more than 20 questions await Judge Sonia Sotomayor, but the 26 most immediate come in the form of the Senate Judiciary Committee's exhaustive "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees." The in-depth self-examination is required for every federal judicial nominee under consideration by the Senate, including those nominated to the Supreme Court.

The Committee sent the questionnaire to Sotomayor this week after President Obama announced her nomination.

Unlike nominees of yore, nominees' answers are now posted on the Judiciary Committee's website, giving the public full view of everything from Sotomayor's personal finances and professional recusals to a detailed account of the White House's SCOTUS selection process.

The process has tripped up nominees before. After Harriet Miers submitted her questionnaire, Sens. Patrick Leahy and Arlen Specter were so unimpressed they took the unusual step of asking her to rewrite several answers, calling her first draft "incomplete and insulting."

On the questionnaire itself, the first nine questions ask for basic biographical information, such as a nominee's name, education, honors and awards and bar associations. The rest get trickier, and frankly make the Capitolist glad we never went to law school. Here they are...

11. Memberships. "List all professional, business, fraternal, scholarly, civic, charitable, or other organizations, other than those listed in response to Questions 9 or 10 to which you belong, or to which you have belonged, or in which you have participated, since graduation from law school." The Committee also asks if any of those clubs discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin (as some country clubs do).

12. Published Writings and Public Statements. The Committee asks for four copies of every book, memo, recording, speech, letter to the editor, lecture, panel discussion, committee report, resolution, interview, or public comment that Sotomayor has made.

13. Judicial Office. The Committee asks for a list of every judicial position ever held, as well as a numeration of cases, including which went to trial, which were heard by a jury, a copy of every opinion, published or unpublished, Sotomayor has written, a list of her 10 "most significant cases" with capsule descriptions, and a list of cases later overturned by a higher court.

14. Recusals. The Committee asks for every instance in which she has ever recused herself and the circumstances of the recusal.

15. Public Office. Here Sotomayor will describe any public office or political activity she has ever had, including whether she has, "Ever held a position or played a role in a political campaign."

16. Legal Career. The Committee asks for a chronological history and detailed description of her legal practice, any clerkships, roles as mediator, as well as a list of each case ever tried to verdict, and a list of the 10 "most significant" legal matters she ever litigated.

18. Legal Activities. "Describe the most significant legal activities you have pursued, including significant litigation which did not progress to trial or legal matters that did not involve litigation."

19. Teaching. She's asked to list all courses ever taught with four copies of any syllabus.

20. Deferred Income/ Future Benefits. The Committee asks for a list of "sources, amounts, and dates of all anticipated receipts from deferred income arrangements, stock, options, uncompleted contracts, and other future benefits which you expect to derive from previous business relationships, professional services, firm memberships, former employers, clients, or customers."

21. Outside Commitments During Court Service. Here she'll disclose any future plans or commitments she's already made.

22. Sources of Income. This is a request for all income for the year prior to her nomination this week.

23. Statement of Net Worth. Thowing mom's advice never to discuss money out the window, the committee asks for a full statement of Sotomayor's net worth, complete with a chart to fill in.

24. Potential Conflicts of Interest. The Committee asks for a full accounting of any personal or professional conflicts of interest that could arise if she's on the Court, and asks how she'll handle them.

25. Pro Bono Work. The American Bar Association says, it is the responsibility of "every lawyer, regardless of professional prominence or professional workload, to find some time to participate in serving the disadvantaged." The Committee asks what Sotomayor has done to fulfill these responsibilities.

And finally....

26. Selection Process. Sotomayor is asked to describe her entire experience with this SCOTUS selection process, including any phone calls and interviews from the Administration or outside groups, as well as discussions about how she would handle certain cases.

The one question not in on the list may be the most important. Nowhere does the committee ask specifically about a nominee's judicial philosophy, but that question will certainly come during her confirmation hearings this summer.