Sotomayor: Supreme Court At 'A Disadvantage' Due To Lack Of Diversity

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor says the nation's highest court needs more diversity in personal background and professional experience.

During a talk at Brooklyn Law School, Sotomayor didn't mention Judge Merrick Garland's nomination.

President Barack Obama nominated Garland to the Supreme Court following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, who was discovered dead at a West Texas ranch on Feb. 13.

More: What To Know About Merrick Garland

The court's first Latina justice says she feels there's  "a disadvantage'' to having a court made up entirely of Ivy League graduates who are either Catholic or Jewish, several of them from New York. She notes that none specialized in criminal defense outside white-collar settings.

The court's first Latina justice has said before the court could benefit from more diversity. Her remarks Friday come amid a nomination in unusual limbo.

Senate Republicans have said they won't confirm anyone before the presidential election.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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