This is a list of the first women lawyer(s) and judge(s) in Rhode Island. It includes the year in which the women were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are women who achieved other distinctions such becoming the first in their state to graduate from law school or become a political figure.
Firsts in state history edit
Lawyers edit
- First female to argue a case before the Rhode Island Supreme Court: Mary Ann Greene (1888; Massachusetts) in 1907[1]
- First female: Ada Lewis Sawyer (1920)[2]
- First African American female: Dorothy Crockett (1932)[3][4]
Law Clerk edit
- First female to clerk for Rhode Island's federal courts: Sandra L. Lynch (1971)[5]
State judges edit
- First female: Florence K. Murray (1942) in 1956[6]
- First female (district court): Corinne P. Grande in 1969[7][8]
- First female (Chief Justice; Rhode Island Superior Court): Florence K. Murray (1942) from 1978-1979[6]
- First female (Rhode Island Supreme Court): Florence K. Murray (1942) from 1979-1996[6]
- First openly lesbian female: Melissa Dubose in 2019[9]
- First African American (female) (Rhode Island Supreme Court): Melissa A. Long in 2021[10]
- First Indian American (female) (Rhode Island Family Court): Shilpa Naik in 2022[11]
Federal judges edit
- First African American female (U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit): Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson (1976) in 2010[12]
- First female (United States Magistrate Judge; United States District Court, District of Rhode Island): Patricia Sullivan in 2012[13]
- First African American and LGBT [female] (United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island): Melissa R. DuBose in 2024[14]
Attorney General of Rhode Island edit
- First female: Arlene Violet (1974) in 1985[15][16]
Deputy Attorney General edit
- First female: Susan E. McGuirl[17]
United States Attorney edit
- First female: Margaret E. Curran (1983) from 1998-2003[18]
Public Defender edit
- First female: Mary S. McElroy in 2012[19]
Political Office edit
- First female (senator): Florence K. Murray (1942)[6]
- First openly lesbian female (Rhode Island Senate; Fifteenth District): Donna Nesselbush (c. 1991) in 2011[20]
Rhode Island Bar Association edit
Firsts in local history edit
- Elizabeth Ortiz:[23] First Latino American female to serve as a municipal court judge in Central Falls (2019) [Providence County, Rhode Island]
- Debra L. Chernick:[24] First female President of the Washington County Bar Association, Rhode Island (2000-2004)
See also edit
Other topics of interest edit
References edit
- ^ "Women's Legal History | Biographical Search". Women's Legal History. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
- ^ Association, American Bar (June 1975). ABA Journal. American Bar Association.
- ^ "New England Law | Boston – Centennial Exhibit (Blanche Braxton and Dorothy Crockett - Portia Law School 1921 and 1931)". student.nesl.edu. Retrieved 2018-12-13.
- ^ Bell, Andrew J. (May 1997). An assessment of life in Rhode Island as an African American in the era from 1918 to 1993. Vantage Press. ISBN 9780533120659.
- ^ "Sandra L. Lynch '68". Wellesley College. Retrieved 2019-07-07.
- ^ a b c d Delaney, Michael. "Irish who left their mark on Rhode Island sod". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2018-01-09.
- ^ Mooney, Tom. "Passages: Judge Corinne P. Grande, 89, presided over von Bulow retrial". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
- ^ Friendly, Jon; Times, Special to The New York (1985-06-02). "Judge Grande: She Keeps Von Bulow Case on Track". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
- ^ Mulvaney, Katie. "Raimondo leaves legacy of diversity in RI courts". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ "Melissa Long sworn in as first Black justice in RI Supreme Court". WPRI.com. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
- ^ "Governor McKee Swears in Five Judges | Governor's Office, State of Rhode Island". governor.ri.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
- ^ "Senate Confirms O. Rogeriee Thompson for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit | U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island". www.whitehouse.senate.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-09.
- ^ Mulvaney, Katie. "Pushing the bar in R.I.: 5 women who blazed trails through the legal system". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
- ^ "Melissa DuBose, a Black lesbian judge, makes R.I. history". www.advocate.com. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
- ^ Weatherford, Doris (2012). Women in American Politics: History and Milestones. Los Angeles: CQ Press. pp. 76–77. ISBN 978-1-60871-007-2.
- ^ Rutgers, Center for American Women And Politics (accessed 5/23/2007) Archived May 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Mulvaney, Katie. "Judge who unseated Corrigan has worked on high-profile RI cases". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^ Congressional Record, V. 144, Pt. 19, October 19, 1998 to December 19, 1998. Government Printing Office.
- ^ Botelho, Jessica. "McElroy sworn in as first female RI Public Defender". Warwick Beacon. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
- ^ "Marriage Equality Rhode Island: Sen. Donna Nesselbush talks to GET (signing ceremony VIDEO) - Rhode Islands Premier All Inclusive Magazine | GET RI Magazine". get-ri.com. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
- ^ "Rhode Island Bar Association". www.ribar.com. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^ Botelho, Bridget (2004-05-17). "Incoming bar president promotes diversity". Providence Business News. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
- ^ Brito, Arelis Peña (2019-01-29). "Nombran primera jueza latina en Tribunal Municipal de Central Falls". Acontecer Latino (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-07-28.
- ^ "Debra L. Chernick Esq. | Sayer Regan & Thayer, LLP | Newport, Rhode Island". Sayer Regan & Thayer, LLP. Retrieved 2018-12-25.