Sonia Sotomayor was sworn in as the 111th US Supreme Court justice and the first Hispanic, taking the oath of office at the high court two days after winning Senate confirmation.
Ms Sotomayor (55), vowed to "do equal right to the poor and to the rich, as she took the second of two required oaths from chief justice John Roberts today. She rested her hand on a bible held by her mother, Celina Sotomayor.
The televised swearing-in marked a break from the tradition in recent years of holding oath ceremonies at the White House.
Starting with Sandra Day O'Connor in 1981, every new justice had taken an oath at the White House. President Barack Obama wanted Ms Sotomayor's swearing-in to take place at the court as a symbol of the judiciary's independence, an administration official said on condition of anonymity yesterday.
Mr Obama will host a reception for Ms Sotomayor at the White House next week.
Justice John Paul Stevens, who was sworn in 1975, was the last justice not to take an oath at the White House. Earlier this year he called that practice "incorrect symbolism".
Ms Sotomayor replaces the retired David Souter, whose positions she is likely to closely track based on her 17-year record as a trial and appellate judge.
Mr Roberts said a more formal courtroom ceremony, known as an investiture, will take place on September 8th.
Ms Sotomayor took the oaths today so that she can begin work as an associate justice without delay, Mr Roberts said. Her first test will come on September 9th, when the justices hear an unusual second round of arguments in a campaign finance case to consider overturning the century-old ban on corporate political giving.
The case concerns a documentary film critical of secretary of state Hillary Clinton, then a candidate for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.
Later in its 2009-10 term, which formally starts in October, the court will consider the ability of private citizens to sue over religious monuments on public property, determine the constitutionality of a government agency that oversees the accounting industry and consider whether youths can be sentenced to life in prison for crimes other than murder.
Bloomberg