Sonia Sotomayor Sworn In

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have our 111th Supreme Court Justice.

In honor of her swearing-in, let's have a quick look back at one of the many reasons why she was an excellent choice, shall we?

Describing Sotomayor as a lawyer who "has worked at almost every level of our judicial system," Obama noted that she has "more experience on the bench and more varied experience of the bench than anyone currently serving on the Supreme Court when they were appointed."

While much will be made of the fact that Obama has chosen a woman of Puerto Rican background to serve on a court that until the 1960s was made up entirely of white men, the president has, as well, chosen a jurist whose specific experience will make her a key player on a court that, in coming years, will be taking on more and more cases involving financial and economic issues.

Judge Sotomayor's 11 years of service on the federal appeals bench (as an appointee of Bill Clinton) have been served just a few blocks from Wall Street in Manhattan, as were her six years as a federal judge (as an appointee of George H.W. Bush as the recommendation of former New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan).

"As the top federal appeals court in the nation's commercial center," the New York Times notes, "the court is known in particular for its expertise in corporate and securities law."

Obama specifically cited Sotomayor's legal skills with regard to financial and corporate issues as something that made her particularly appealing as a nominee.

Sounds like she's just what we're needing.

Congratulations, Justice Sotomayor!