Becoming a judge takes grit, intelligence, and years of legal work. For women, the path is often even steeper. Despite the barriers, though, trailblazing women have risen to the highest courts in the nation, shattering the status quo and making history along the way.
From Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Ketanji Brown Jackson, these female judges didn’t just interpret the law; they changed it.
These women have shaped the legal system through groundbreaking decisions and barrier-breaking careers:
These influential women have not only shaped landmark legal decisions but also redefined what it means to lead in the highest courts of the land. Below, we take a closer look at how each one helped shape legal history.
As a law student, Ruth Bader Ginsberg and her female classmates were often discriminated against and excluded from sections of the library. Not that that stopped her from graduating at the top of her class.
Still, finding work was nearly impossible. “In the fifties, the traditional law firms were just beginning to turn around on hiring Jews. … But to be a woman, a Jew, and a mother to boot, that combination was a bit much,” said Ginsberg. Nevertheless, she persisted, becoming the second woman and the first Jewish woman to serve on the Supreme Court after her confirmation on August 3, 1993.
Ginsberg’s tenure as a Supreme Court justice was legendary. “The notorious R.B.G,” as she was affectionately called, was an unwavering advocate for gender equality and women’s rights until her death on September 18, 2020.
Sonia Sotomayor became the third woman, and first Latina, to serve on the Supreme Court after she was confirmed on August 9, 2009. Sotomayor grew up in the Bronxdale Houses, a South Bronx housing project. As a child, she loved reading Nancy Drew mysteries, and she was inspired by the adventurous sleuth to follow a path of learning, ultimately leading to a career in law.
Sotomayor had over three decades of experience at almost every level of the judicial system before sitting on the Court. Hailed as “one of the ablest federal judges currently sitting,” Sotomayor has ruled to uphold the Affordable Care Act and ruled to legalize same-sex marriage.
Ketanji Brown Jackson spent much of her childhood listening her father read legal cases as he studied for law school. She was inspired to follow in his footsteps, but her journey was not without its challenges. Sharing her plans to attend Harvard with her high school guidance counselor, she was advised not to set her “sights so high.”
Jackson graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and cum laude from Harvard Law School. Her law career spans over two decades, and while serving on the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, she issued over 500 opinions on cases. On June 30, 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court, becoming the first Black woman to sit on the Court.
Waukesha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Dorow stepped into the national spotlight when, in 2022, she presided over the high-profile trial of Darrel Brooks Jr., who was convicted for killing six people during the Waukesha Christmas parade. Throughout the trial, Dorow received fan mail, even a telegram, praising her for her expertise and calm demeanor.
Dorow ran for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2023. She lost, but when asked about legislating from the bench, she gave this insightful answer: “It’s the role of a judge to apply the law as written to the facts of the cases that come before us, to never prejudge those cases, to be fair and impartial and in our government.”
Judges play a crucial role in the criminal justice system, both here in the U.S. and abroad. Susan Kiefel, Australia’s first female High Court chief justice, recently retired after 16 years. Australian Women Lawyers President Astrid Haban-Beer said that Kiefel “presided over tough times at the court” and did so “masterfully.”
While many of her male contemporaries received a private education, Kiefel studied law part time while working as a legal secretary. Kiefel would simply say she did the best she could. Still, she’s happy that her journey can inspire others to pursue a law career.
After her husband’s premature death, Belva Lockwood graduated from law school—only receiving her diploma after appealing to President Ulysses S. Grant—and moved to Washington D.C. to become an attorney: something thought impossible for a woman in the 19th century.
When she applied for admission to the Supreme Court Bar in 1876, the motion was denied. “None but men are admitted to practice before [the Court] as attorneys and counsellors,” announced Chief Justice R. Waite. In November 1880, Lockwood became the first woman to argue before the Supreme Court, paving the way for Ruth Bader Ginsberg and other women on the Supreme Court.
In addition to the esteemed female judges already mentioned, here are some frequently asked questions that highlight key milestones and contributions of women in the U.S. judiciary:
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Sources:
https://americanwritersmuseum.org/ruth-bader-ginsburg-quotes/
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