Elena Kagan became the fourth female justice in history on Saturday and the 112th U.S. Supreme Court member after President Barack Obama won Senate approval for his second appointment to the high court.

Kagan, formerly Obama's solicitor general in arguing U.S. government cases before the Supreme Court, was sworn in by her new colleague, Chief Justice John Roberts, at the court.

Open gallery view Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 29, 2010, during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 29, 2010 Credit: AP

He administered the constitutional and then the judicial oath in a ceremony attended by a small gathering of Kagan's family and friends.

After the oath was given, Roberts welcomed Kagan to the court.

U.S. President Barack Obama's nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court won Senate approval on Thursday, his second appointment to the highest U.S. court that decides abortion, death penalty and other contentious cases.

The Democratic-led Senate voted largely along political party lines, 63-37, to confirm the former Harvard Law school dean as the fourth female justice in U.S. history and the 112th high court member.

The appointement of Kagan, who is Jewish, won praise from leaders of America's Jewish community.

This is a superb day for women, for Jewish people, for New York City and for the United States of America," said Eliot Engel, a Democratic congressman from New York.

"In the wake of the outrageous Citizens United case which destroyed 100 years of precedent, and made corporations a dominant player in our political system, we need thoughtful judges like Justice Kagan who will evaluate cases on merit and not be blinded by their political ideologies.

The Bnai Brith International organization, which descbies itself as the 'global voice of the Jewish community, said in a statement:

"Throughout her distinguished career as solicitor general, dean of Harvard Law School, and as a legal scholar, Kagan has exceeded in learning, teaching, and implementing the rule of law. The grandchild of immigrants, Kagan will bring a unique yet familiar history to the nations highest court".

National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) Chairman Marc R. Stanley said: "As American Jews, we are particularly proud to see a member of our community rise to such an important position."

National chair of the Anti Defamation League Robert G. Sugarman, and national director Abraham H. Foxman issued a statement following Kagan's nomination. saying Kagan was "well qualified and we are confident that she will serve with distinction as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court."

"We commend the President and the U.S. Senate for choosing and supporting her," the ADL statement said.

Kagan was Obama's solicitor general, arguing government cases before the Supreme Court, when he named her in May as his choice to replace the retiring liberal Justice John Paul Stevens.

The 50-year-old Kagan, who will be the third woman on the current court, is not expected to change the ideological balance of power on the closely divided panel, which for years has been dominated by a 5-4 conservative majority.

All the Democratic senators but one voted for her, two independent senators voted for her and five Republicans voted for her. All the other Republican senators opposed her nomination.