[JURIST] Sonia Sotomayor [WH Profile; JURIST news archive] was sworn in as the 111th justice in the history of the US Supreme Court [official website] Saturday. Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath, in which Sotomayor swore to "administer justice without respect to persons and do equal right to the poor and to the rich" and to "faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon [her] as associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States."

In joining the court, Sotomayor becomes its first Hispanic member and third female member. Sotomayor will hear her first case on September 9 when the court hears arguments in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission [Cornell LLI backgrounder; JURIST report], a case dealing with campaign financing and free speech.

The US Senate confirmed [JURIST report] Sotomayor on Thursday by a vote of 68-31. On Tuesday, the Senate began debate [JURIST report] on Sotomayor's confirmation. Her nomination was approved by the Judiciary Committee [JURIST report] last week by a 13-6 vote, mostly along party lines. Prior to that vote, Sotomayor faced questions from senators during late July confirmation hearings [JURIST report]. Earlier last month, the American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary [association website] gave Sotomayor a unanimous "well-qualified" rating [JURIST report].