List of first women lawyers and judges in Indiana
This is a list of the first women lawyer and judge in Indiana. It includes the year in which the women were admitted to practice law. Also included are women who achieved other distinctions such becoming the first in their state to obtain a law degree or become a political figure.
Firsts in state history
Lawyers
- Elizabeth Eaglesfield : First female lawyer in Indiana
- Antoinette Dakin Leach : First female admitted to practice law after appealing to the Indiana Supreme Court
- Helen Elsie Austin : First African American female lawyer in Indiana
- Lourdes Dellota Alba : First Asian American female female lawyer in Indiana
Judicial Officers
State
Judges
- Ella Groninger: First female judge in Indiana
- V. Sue Shields: First female elected judge in Indiana
- Linda Lucille Chezem: First female to serve as a county judge in Indiana
- Phyllis Senegal : First African American female judge in Indiana
Circuit Court
- Linda Lucille Chezem: First female to serve as a circuit court judge in Indiana
Appellate Court
- V. Sue Shields: First female appointed as a Judge of the Indiana Court of Appeals
Supreme Court
- Myra C. Selby : First female appointed as a Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court
- Loretta Rush: First female justice to become the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court
Federal
District Court
- Sarah Evans Barker : First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- Tanya Walton Pratt : First African American appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
Attorney General
- Pamela Carter: First female to serve as the Attorney General of Indiana
Public Defender
- Harriette Bailey Conn: First female to serve as the Public Defender for Indiana
United States Attorney
- Virginia Dill McCarty : First female to serve a full, four-year term as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
Assistant United States Attorney
- Sarah Evans Barker : First female serve as the Assistant United States Attorney for Indiana
Bar Association
- Jeanne S. Miller: First female to serve as the President of the Indiana State Bar Association
- Mary Y. Marsh: First female to serve as President of the Indianapolis Bar Association
- Cynthia J. Ayers: First African American female to serve as President of the Indianapolis Bar Association
Firsts in local history
Allen County
- Carina Warrington : First female lawyer in Allen County, Indiana
- Karen E. Richards: First female to serve as the Prosecutor for Allen County, Indiana
Cass County
- Lisa Swaim: First female judge in Cass County, Indiana
Clark County
- Clementine Barthold : First female judge in Clark County, Indiana
Daviess County
- Judith Dwyer : First female judge in Daviess County, Indiana
Dubois County
- Derexa Savage King : First female lawyer in Dubois County, Indiana
Fayette County
- Beth Ann Butsch: First female lawyer and judge in Fayette County, Indiana
Floyd County
- Susan Orth: First female judge in Floyd County, Indiana
Greene County
- Edith Eulalia Hendren : First female lawyer in Greene County, Indiana
- Dena Benham Martin: First female judge in Greene County, Indiana
Jackson County
- AmyMarie Travis: First female appointed as a Judge of the Superior Court of Jackson County
Johnson County
- Cynthia S. Emkes : First female judge in Johnson County, Indiana
LaPorte County
- Susan Hemminger: First female judge in LaPorte County, Indiana
- Kimberly Kiner: First African American female judge in LaPorte County, Indiana
Lawrence County
- Linda Lucille Chezem: First female to serve as a Judge of the Lawrence County Court, Indiana
Madison County
- Hentietta Trisch Willkie : First woman admitted to the bar in Madison County.
- Angela Warner Sims: First female circuit judge for Madison County, Indiana
Marion County
- Ella Groninger: First female judge in Marion County, Indiana
- Z. Mae Jimison: First African American female appointed as a Judge of the Superior Court in Marion County, Indiana
- Cynthia J. Ayers: First African American female elected as a Judge of the Superior Court in Marion County, Indiana
Posey County
- Helen Hironimus: First female lawyer in Mount Vernon, Posey County, Indiana
Porter County
- Frances Tilton Weaver : First female lawyer in Porter County, Indiana
- Shelli Wright Johnson : First female lawyer in Portage, Indiana Porter County, Indiana|
- Mary Harper: First female to serve as the Deputy Prosecutor and Chief Deputy Prosecutor, a Superior Court Judge, and a Judge of the Circuit Court in Porter County, Indiana
Pulaski County
- Lisa M. Traylor- Wolff : First female lawyer in Pulaski County, Indiana
St. Joseph County
- Maxine E. Ryer Miller : First female lawyer in St. Joseph County, Indiana
- Elizabeth Fletcher Allen : First African American female lawyer in St. Joseph County, Indiana
- Stephanie Steele: First African American female to serve as President of the St. Joseph County Bar Association
Tippecanoe County
- Helen M. Gougar : First female lawyer in Tippecanoe County, Indiana
Vanderburgh County
- Tamar Althouse Scholz : First woman to practice law in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana. She was also the first woman to receive a law degree from the Indiana University's Department of Law.
- Sue Ann Hartig: First female judicial officer in Vanderburgh County, Indiana
- Mary Margaret “Maggie” Lloyd: First elected female judge in Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Vigo County
- Elizabeth "Bessie" Jane Eaglesfield : First woman in Indiana admitted to the bar, Vigo County Circuit Court, September 8. 1875.
- Barbara Brugnaux: First female judge in Vigo County, Indiana
Wabash County
- Amy Catherine Cornell: First female appointed as a Judge of the Wabash County Superior Court, Indiana
Other topics of interest
- List of first minority male lawyers and judges in the United States
- List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Indiana