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David S. Koonce
Jizi
UWRT-1104-015
25 October 2016

Biography.com Editors. "Sonia Sotomayor Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web.
19 Oct. 2016.

Summary- This article served to present the early life, education, and then legal work of
Sonia Sotomayor in an objective and concise way. She was born to a somewhat poor family in
the Bronx, and her early life was characterized by a large focus on preparing for and receiving a
higher education. She went to Princeton University and then attended Yale Law School. After her
formal education, she worked as an assistant district attorney in New York City. She was then
promoted to a district court judge after making a name for herself as a lawyer, and then was
further pushed to becoming a judge on the U.S Second Circuit Court of Appeals. It was after her
time serving here that she was nominated by president Barack Obama, and then confirmed by the
senate, to serve on the U.S Supreme Court. She continues to serve in this regard to this day, and
has sat for several landmark cases, such as Obergefell V. Hodges.
Response- This biography provides a large amount of the information and inspiration
needed to provide my inquiry with the answers that it requires. It has actually reaffirmed the path
that I had originally intended to take. The process of undergrad to graduate school to becoming
an assistant district attorney has allowed me to see that there is a very clear path to becoming a
high court judge, even when coming from a non-privileged background. Pro bono work is
incredibly important for this, which is something that I will very quickly integrate into may plans
as a whole. This is a good guide to how to reach my goal, though it doesnt go into the detail that

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I do need, However, it does point me into the right direction for what future inquiries and what
my next sources and objects of research may happen to be.
Proving Credibility- From my analysis, the source is credible. The URl does not end with
a .Gov, .Edu, or .Mil, but it is a website that is associated with a reputable company, and is also a
website that is well regarded on its own rate for providing basic biographies and information on
people. The information is current, having been last updated in the June of 2016. My information
is also not incredibly sensitive to age, as what has already happened will remain the same, as is
the nature with most biographies. As an initial basic source, it provides all needed information, as
well as providing opportunities for further and deeper research. The source is well accredited,
and has experience with creating biographies on people. The authors are experienced with
writing these type of articles, as is the organization itself. The information is subject to fact
checking, as is supported by a link from within the article, as well as third party information. It is
consistent with well known information as well as other sources. The purpose is to inform,
without significant bias. It is well written and proofread, without any major or glaring errors. The
website itself is well made and well maintained, with a fluent layout. This source passes the
CRAAP test, as well as the website analysis. As already stated, this is a credible and useful
source.

"Latin@s At Work (LAW) Project." LatinoJustice:. Latinojustice, n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.

Summary- This article served as a piece of information that detailed the purpose, the
goals, and some of the work of the Latinojustice PRLDEF. This project in specific, the Latinas at
Work project, is a program to provide legal defense for hispanic women in the New York area
whom are being abused in the workplace and are being denied their worker rights. Unpaid

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wages, unfair hours, illegal hiring practices and workplace discrimination are all under attack,
and are all being defended. They provide legal education so these women know their rights, they
provide free legal counseling for immigrant workers, as well as provide legal representation for a
worker if they so choose to take the issue into the civil courts. This is an important project to
ensure fair treatment of female immigrant workers and ensuring justice for all regardless of
income.
Response- This article provides to me to an example for the kind of things that I must do
to become a judge. It is a simple answer to my inquiry question, and provides an open stepping
stone to my path to success and happiness. It follows up onto the lead that my previous source
had found, with is an incredibly important step. It reassured me that in order to work to my goals,
I have to act into the best interests of the community- which means that I will have to take Pro
Bono work whenever it is possible, and whenever I have to do something. This also continues to
provide new leads for me to make research into for my further goals. Franky, I also believe that
helping the underprivileged is always a good thing.
Proving Credibility- From my analysis, this is a credible source. The URL for this site
ends with .org, as it is a site for a private organization. However, this organization is a well
accredited non-profit, and is well known for its good work in the fields of law and community
service. The information is relevant and timely, as it does come from a currently ongoing project
that is one of the major focuses of the organization. The information is accurate based on the way
that this organization is well known by political groups and major organizations for the support
of hispanic peoples. The information also seeks to simply inform on the goals and resources of
the organization, and does not exist to sway people on one direction or another. It is simply a bit
of information, and there is not a significant inherent bias in the way that the information is being

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handled. The website itself is well made and handled, and it exists in a modern and clean way.
This site does pass the test as far as its formation and handling goes. As a result, this source does
pass the CRAAP test, and is in my opinion a credible source.

Mauro, Tony. "Sotomayor Urges Mandatory Pro Bono for All Lawyers." The National Law
Journal. The National Law Journal, 17 May 2016. Web. 9 Nov. 2016.

Summary- This article stands to report on a call from well known hispanic Supreme
Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. In the article, she calls for pro bono work- cases and other
services provided by a lawyer for free, in the best interest of the community as a whole- to
become a requirement for all lawyers. There are some voices in the article that provide a counter
argument about the effort level and the legitimacy of pro bono work that is done by force rather
then done by the willing choice of a lawyer. It is also noted that some states have already made it
a mandatory requirement She also called for greater education into legal services that exist for
the poor, and for more lawyers to willing volunteer their time to help the less fortunate. The
article simply reports on the stance and the beliefs of Sonia Sotomayor on what she believes
should be a requirement for all lawyers.
Response- I am personally in favor of this concept. I do think that it should be a
requirement for lawyers, particularly young lawyers, to perform some pro bono work in order to
build up their experience, as well as provide a service back to the community. I find that overall,
to take action in such a way can make a huge difference in the legal community, and help ensure
that the promises of both the constitution and the country are being applied to all as much as
possible. For my own research, this article provides further support for me stance and my beliefs
on how to properly find success. Sonia Sotomayor is a major example of a possible path that I

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may take to success, and by following her example I may be able to succeed in a similar manner
as she. By and large, this article also reinforces within me the knowledge that I have to, and by
all means I should, focus more on the community and what I can do to help it. By doing so, I can
help my chances for the appointment as a judge.
Proving Credibility- This source is very much credible. The information is current, as it
was published only four months ago, and the information from this source is not highly sensitive
to time or recency. It is a statement and a report on a position that has not changed in a rather
decent amount of time. The information is also accurate, judging by the sources that it comes
from, as well as from any third party fact checking. The information is also highly relevant, as
far as my own inquiry is to be considered. It follows up onto a continued lead into the concept of
pro bono work being used as a preface into becoming a judge. This information exists simply to
inform people about a position that is held by Sonia Sotomayor. There is actually not a large
measure of implicit bias, as the reporting is rather objective and does not lean toward one side or
another. Based on this analysis, I have decided that this source is credible by passing the CRAAP
test, as well as the general nature of The National Law Journal as a source.
"Homes and Community Renewal." SONYMA Products for First-Time Homebuyers. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.

Summary- This source is simply the information page for the organization for which
Sonia Sotomayor performed pro bono work before she was appointed as a judge. This is the
State of New York Mortgage Agency, and serves to help provide affordable housing and
financing for first time home buyers in the state of New York. There are different programs for
veterans and low income buyers, as well as many different financing plans. They also provide

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legal advice and counseling when it comes to the contracts and other necessities that take shape
when it comes to buying a home.
Response- This is one of the other programs that Sonia Sotomayor worked with during
her time as an attorney. For me, this provides another example to the great breadth of different
opportunities and options that I have when it comes to choose for whom and where I want to do
my own pro-bono work. In this case, it includes contract law for home buying, and helping those
who do not have the money or expertise to read and ensure the fairness of their own mortgage
contracts without something assisting them and putting it all together. In perspective, this source
provides me with some more background on the path that I need to take to become a judge. By
going forth and taking this path, I can increase my chances of succeeding in my goals, as well as
making a positive impact on my community, and those things that are going on around me. The
source itself is not highly specific, but it is a resource that I can use in the future on my path to
success.
Proving Credibility- After analysis, I have determined that this is a highly credible
source. As with similar sources that came beforehand, this source comes from a very credible
website. The URL is another .org, however, this organization is well known and is supported and
condoned by the New York state government. To add to this, the information is also current and
is held with a sense of authority. It is a legal organization with a heavy focus on ensuring the
success of millions of people. The information is presented objectively and without bias as well,
in a manner that directly lays out what this organization can do for those who do need help, and
how. Due to the nature of the information and its source, I do not believe that fact checking is
necessary. This source passes the CRAAP test, and I consider it to be credible information.

Designs, AVWeb. "Pro Bono." Pro Bono. The Charlotte School of Law, n.d. Web. 09

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Nov. 2016.

Summary- This web source provided information on the pro bono requirements and
program for The Charlotte School of Law. It stated the school's commitment to the community,
as well as its focus on ensuring that all of the students who pass through and receive their law
degrees perform a certain minimum of service for the community before they are certified and
sent off as an attorney. With this source came information on opportunities for pro bono work, in
this case usually a student being assigned to a current member of the Bar, to assistant in their
own programs and works in the community, rather than the student acting on their own. The
target of pro bono services is to provide legal support for civil rights, those who are less
fortunate, and for the justice system as a whole. Every student must perform up to fifty hours of
pro-bono work, and ten hours of community service.
Response- This information is particularly important to me due to what the source is, and
from whom it is from. The Charlotte School of Law is one of the many law schools that I have
targeted as a potential place of study after I have completed my undergraduate work. The pro
bono requirements, and knowing what they are, will go a long way to the preparations that will
need to be made in order for me to get my law degree in the first place, and take that very
important first step to becoming a judge. In more practical terms, this is the information and
detailed planning that must go forth for me to follow through on the examples that have been laid
before me through Sonia Sotoyama, and all of those who have gone like her before me, to
SCOTUS. I am curious to know what specific resources or opportunities may be found from
within the school itself, as this web page is mostly just basic information, though this does
remain as a bit of valuable insight into what I need to be preparing myself for.

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Proving Credibility- This source is credible. After going through the CRAAP test and
looking through the different aspects of the source and the information that it is providing, I feel
that the information can be trusted and will stand under a measure of scrutiny. To begin with, the
website is a .edu. It is supported and run by a well known and very much accredited university
and law school, The information is relevant for what I do need it for, and it is current for the
2016 school year. As as a law school, the source has authority on the topic, and the information is
not meant to be persuasive in any way. It is simply meant to inform prospective students to the
existence of their Pro Bono programs, as well as the requirements for graduation with a law
degree. The website itself is well made and well organized, professionally kept and easy to
navigate. Overall, this source is clear and concise, and can be trusted as reliable.