Supreme Court begins new term with new justice

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court is beginning its new term with a new look.

When court convenes Monday, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic justice, will join the eight others.

She replaces Justice David Souter who retired. But this won't be her first time behind the high court bench. Sotomayor joined the court in time to hear a special oral argument last month over campaign finance regulations.

The featured argument on the court's first day will be over how long a suspect's request for a lawyer should remain valid. Other high profile cases come later in the year — including arguments over strict local and state gun control laws.

The justices will hear arguments until the end of April and issue decisions until the end of June.