 In the Court of Appeals seat , Sotomayor gained a reputation for vigorous and blunt behavior toward lawyers appealing before her , sometimes to the point of brusque and curt treatment or testy interruptions . She was known for extensive preparation for oral arguments and for running a " hot bench " , where judges ask lawyers plenty of questions . Unprepared lawyers suffered the consequences , but the vigorous questioning was an aid to lawyers seeking to tailor their arguments to the judge 's concerns . The 2009 Almanac of the Federal Judiciary , which collected anonymous evaluations of judges by lawyers who appear before them , contained a wide range of reactions to Sotomayor . Comments also diverged among lawyers willing to be named . Attorney Sheema Chaudhry said , " She 's brilliant and she 's qualified , but I just feel that she can be very , how do you say , temperamental . " Defense lawyer Gerald B. <unk> said , " She used her questioning to make a point , as opposed to really looking for an answer to a question she did not understand . " In contrast , Second Circuit Judge Richard C. Wesley said that his interactions with Sotomayor had been " totally antithetical to this perception that has gotten some traction that she is somehow confrontational . " Second Circuit Judge and former teacher Guido <unk> said his tracking showed that Sotomayor 's questioning patterns were no different from those of other members of the court and added , " Some lawyers just don ’ t like to be questioned by a woman . [ The criticism ] was sexist , plain and simple . " Sotomayor 's law clerks regarded her as a valuable and strong mentor , and she said that she viewed them like family . 
