Sotomayor Apologizes to Kavanaugh

The apology is highly unusual given the court's long tradition of maintaining a veneer of collegiality and privacy between the justices.

Sotomayor acknowledged that her personal criticism of Kavanaugh's dissenting opinion in a recent ICE-related case crossed a line.

The public mea culpa underscores the deep ideological divisions on the 6-3 conservative-led court, where tensions have frequently spilled into the public eye.

Legal observers suggest the apology may be an attempt to lower the temperature following a series of high-stakes rulings that have drawn intense public scrutiny.