American Bar Association Praises Sotomayor

The American Bar Association says Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is well qualified to serve on the high court.

The ABA committee that reviewed her qualifications came out with that unanimous rating of the federal appeals court judge. That finding is in a letter to White House lawyer Greg Craig that was released Tuesday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to begin hearings on the nomination next week. Sotomayor is President Barack Obama's choice to replace retired Justice David Souter.

"You typically don't get promoted though the federal courts unless you are indeed well qualified," CBS News chief legal analyst Andrew Cohen says.

"The Bush White House, remember, famously discarded the ABA recommendation system for federal judges but the Obama Administration has embraced the tradition and clearly officials are delighted that their Supreme Court nominee got very good grades. This only helps her chances of getting confirmed," Cohen adds.

The last time the ABA reviewed Sotomayor's qualifications, a majority on ABA panel rated her as well-qualified, but it was not unanimous.