I have never had to face anything that could overwhelm the native optimism and stubborn perseverance I was blessed with.

It is our responsibility to explain to the public how an often unpredictable system of justice is one that serves a productive, civilized, but always evolving, society.

I savor life. When you have anything that threatens life... it prods you into stepping back and really appreciating the value of life and taking from it what you can.

An alcoholic father, poverty, my own juvenile diabetes, the limited English my parents spoke - although my mother has become completely bilingual since. All these things intrude on what most people think of as happiness.

I do think there is a value in the services of judges for long periods of time.

This wealth of experiences, personal and professional, have helped me appreciate the variety of perspectives that present themselves in every case that I hear.

The President [Barack Obama] had suggested that I not watch the news during the confirmation process. I assiduously followed his advice.