--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first case I sat on... was Citizens…" description: "\"The first case I sat on... was Citizens United. Talk about being thrown in. Needless to say, if I was scared before, I was terrified.\" — Sonia Sotomayor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/sonia-sotomayor-1504_about_the-first-case-i-sat-on-was-citizens-uni_146158.jpg" --- # The first case I sat on... was Citizens United. Talk about… ![“The first case I sat on... was Citizens United. Talk about being thrown in. Needless to say, if I was scared before, I was terrified.” quote by Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/sonia-sotomayor-1504_about_the-first-case-i-sat-on-was-citizens-uni_146158.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/sonia-sotomayor-1504_about_the-first-case-i-sat-on-was-citizens-uni_146158.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/sonia-sotomayor-1504_about_the-first-case-i-sat-on-was-citizens-uni_146158.jpg) > “The first case I sat on... was Citizens United. Talk about being thrown in. Needless to say, if I was scared before, I was terrified.” [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing a high‑profile case can be terrifying, especially when prior fear intensifies the pressure of public scrutiny. **In simple terms:** Big cases can feel frightening, especially if already scared. Key Takeaway Prepare mentally for high‑stakes situations. Themes fear career public scrutiny Mood anxious determined Type legal personal When to use this quote - courtroom - media attention - career milestones Key Concepts legal pressure personal anxiety Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help manage fear in critical moments? - How does prior anxiety affect decision making? A Different Perspective Fear can impair performance if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Citizens united](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens-united/) [Terrified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrified/) ## Related quotes > [When I fell to the floor tonight, I was so scared, I was so terrified. 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And neither does anyone else.” “But why do we have to leave?” I didn’t want to say I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-giammatteo/beautiful-we-have-no-money-and-neither-does-anyone-else-but-why-do-we/) [Giacomo Giammatteo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-giammatteo/) > [You say your scared of being hurt but baby I'm right here ain't going anywhere, and if you ever need me just call my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-say-your-scared-of-being-hurt-but-baby-i-m-right-here-ain-t-going/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think it makes your stronger to admit that you're scared, because you're not scared to say that you're scared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/i-think-it-makes-your-stronger-to-admit-that-you-re-scared-because/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [I have a Feelings for you but I cant say because I am too scared if you will knew it because I can't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa/i-have-a-feelings-for-you-but-i-cant-say-because-i-am-too-scared-if/) [Alyssa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa/) > [That's my ambition to say, 'I want to score, I want to go there where the ball is dropping in front of the goal.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timo-werner/that-s-my-ambition-to-say-i-want-to-score-i-want-to-go-there-where/) [Timo Werner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timo-werner/) > [Of course, I'm not just out here doing crazy stuff, but I'm not really - I'll just say I'm not scared to be me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-kamara/of-course-i-m-not-just-out-here-doing-crazy-stuff-but-i-m-not-really/) [Alvin Kamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-kamara/) > [“You want to hear it? 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That's where success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-dejesus/if-you-scared-say-you-scared-and-if-not-then-push-yourself-off-of/) [Noel DeJesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-dejesus/) > [I would urge the government to allocate more funds toward fighting cancer. My own situation, it made me think. It made me think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/i-would-urge-the-government-to-allocate-more-funds-toward-fighting/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [I left to go off and do other things. In terms of the group, I'm definitely the boss. I wouldn't say they were scared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-hussey/i-left-to-go-off-and-do-other-things-in-terms-of-the-group-i-m/) [Wayne Hussey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-hussey/) ## More by Sonia Sotomayor > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I have never had to face anything that could overwhelm the native optimism and stubborn perseverance I was blessed with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-have-never-had-to-face-anything-that-could-overwhelm-the-native/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [The task of a judge is not to make the law - it is to apply the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/the-task-of-a-judge-is-not-to-make-the-law-it-is-to-apply-the-law/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I got a message from one of my friends in Puerto Rico, who said, 'Sonia, there's nobody working in Puerto Rico - they're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-got-a-message-from-one-of-my-friends-in-puerto-rico-who-said-sonia/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [In the wider context, what I believe I was - the point I was making was that our life experiences do permit us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/in-the-wider-context-what-i-believe-i-was-the-point-i-was-making-was/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I have spent my years since Princeton, while at law school and in my various professional jobs, not feeling completely a part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-have-spent-my-years-since-princeton-while-at-law-school-and-in-my/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Over the years, I have gathered more godchildren than anyone I know, and I take the role seriously.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/over-the-years-i-have-gathered-more-godchildren-than-anyone-i-know/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [ I am growing to love DC.This \[Washington\] is a beautiful city. I think every citizen should come see their capital. A lot of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-am-growing-to-love-dc-this-washington-is-a-beautiful-city-i-think/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“I think that even someone who got into an institution through affirmative action could prove they were qualified by what they accomplished there. Page 188”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-think-that-even-someone-who-got-into-an-institution-through/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [You make your life choices understanding that you might and do have to work harder to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/you-make-your-life-choices-understanding-that-you-might-and-do-have/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“The persistence or failure of human relationships cannot be predicted by any set of objective or universal criteria. We are all limited, highly imperfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/the-persistence-or-failure-of-human-relationships-cannot-be-predicted/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I have ventured to write more intimately about my personal life than is customary for a member of the Supreme Court, and with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-have-ventured-to-write-more-intimately-about-my-personal-life-than/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [With my academic achievement in high school, I was accepted rather readily at Princeton and equally as fast at Yale, but my test scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/with-my-academic-achievement-in-high-school-i-was-accepted-rather/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [This wealth of experiences, personal and professional, have helped me appreciate the variety of perspectives that present themselves in every case that I hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-wealth-of-experiences-personal-and-professional-have-helped-me/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I think it's important to move people beyond just dreaming into doing. 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