List of first women lawyers and judges in Michigan
This is a list of the first women lawyer and judge in Michigan. 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
- Sarah Kilgore Wertman : First female lawyer in Michigan
- Theresa Doland : First female lawyer to obtain an LL.M. degree in Michigan
- Grace G. Costavas Murphy : First African American female lawyer in Michigan
Judicial Officers
State
- Geraldine Bledsoe Ford : First African American female judge in Michigan
- Patricia P. Fresard: First Hispanic American female judge in Michigan
- Shalina D. Kumar: First Asian American judge in Michigan
Justice of the Peace
- Phoebe Ely Patterson: First female appointed as a Justice of the Peace in Michigan
Probate Court
- Ella Eggleston: First female appointed as a probate judge in Michigan
- Shauna Dunnings: First female and first African American to serve as a Probate Judge in Ingham County, Michigan
Circuit Court
- Christina Elmore: First African American female to serve as a Judge of the Seventeenth Circuit Court in Michigan
Appellate Court
- Dorothy Comstock Riley: First female to serve as a Judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals
Supreme Court
- Mary Coleman: First female appointed as a Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and serve as its Chief Justice
- Dorothy Comstock Riley: First female to serve as a Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Federal
District Court
- Anna Diggs Taylor : First African American female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- Judith Ellen Levy : First openly LGBT female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Attorneys General
- Jennifer Granholm : First female Attorney General of Michigan
- Dana Nessel: First openly LGBT female elected as the Attorney General of Michigan
Assistant United States Attorney
- Ella Mae Backus: First female to serve as the Assistant U.S. Attorney for Michigan
Judge Advocate General
- Rosemarie Aquilina : First female Judge Advocate General in the Michigan Army National Guard. She later became a Judge of the Thirtieth Circuit Court in Ingham County, Michigan.
County Prosecutor
- Emelia Christine Schaub: First female to serve as a County Prosecutor in Michigan
- Kym Worthy: First African American female to serve as a County Prosecutor in Michigan
Political Office
- Jennifer Granholm : First female Governor of Michigan
- Rashida Tlaib : First Muslim American female to serve in the Michigan Legislature
Bar Association
- Julia Donovan Darlow : First female to serve as the President of the Michigan State Bar Association
- Victoria Roberts: First African American female to serve as the President of the Michigan State Bar Association
Firsts in local history
Region
- Patricia "Pat" Micklow: First female judge in Upper Michigan
Allegan County
- Margaret Zuzich Bakker : First female district court judge in Allegan County, Michigan
Bay County
- Karen Tighe : First female judge in Bay County, Michigan
Berrien County
- Dora Whitney: First female lawyer in Berrien County, Michigan
- Mabel Mayfield: First African American female judge in Berrien County, Michigan
Calhoun County
- Mary Coleman: First female judge in Calhoun County, Michigan
- Tracie Tomak: First female district court judge in Calhoun County, Michigan
Cass County
- Susan L. Dobrich: First female to serve as the County Prosecutor for Cass County, Michigan
Charlevoix County
- Kerry Zahner: First female Public Defender for Charlevoix County, Michigan
Chippewa County
- Elizabeth Church: First female judge in Chippewa County, Michigan
Clare County
- Michelle Ambrozaitis: First female to serve as the County Prosecutor in Clare County, Michigan
Genesee County
- Alice Day Gardner: First female lawyer in Genesee County, Michigan
- Elza Papp : First female to serve as the Assistant Prosecutor and district court judge in Genesee County, Michigan
- Arthalu "Artie" Lancaster : First female to serve as the President of the Genesee County Bar Association, Michigan
- Edwyna Goodwin Anderson: First African American female admitted to the Genesee County Bar Association, Michigan
- Karen McDonald Lopez: First female to serve as the Flint City Attorney in Genesee County, Michigan
Grand Traverse County
- Melanie Stanton : First female judge in Grand Traverse County, Michigan
Gratiot County
- Amelia C. Leet : First female lawyer in Gratiot County, Michigan
Ingham County
- Carolyn Stell: First female judge in Ingham County, Michigan
- Carol A. Siemon: First female to serve as the County Prosecutor for Ingram County, Michigan
- Shauna Dunnings: First female and first African American to serve as a Probate Judge in Ingham County, Michigan
Jackson County
- Kati Rezmierski: First female to serve as the Chief Assistant Prosecutor for Jackson County, Michigan
Kent County
- Elizabeth “Bessie” Eaglesfield: First female lawyer in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Carol Irons: First female judge in Kent County, Michigan
Lake County
- Susan Sniegowski: First female judge in Mason County and Lake County, Michigan
Leelanau County
- Emelia Christine Schaub: First female to serve as the County Prosecutor for Leelanau County, Michigan
Lenawee County
- Natalia Koselka: First female judge in Lenawee County, Michigan
- Tamaris Henagan-Sprow : First female lawyer in Adrian, Michigan
Livingston County
- Suzanne Geddis: First female elected as a district court judge in Livingston County, Michigan
Macomb County
- Sheila A. Miller : First African American female judge in Macomb County, Michigan
Marquette County
- Patricia "Pat" Micklow: First female to serve as an assistant prosecutor in Marquette County, Michigan. She was also the first female to serve as a Judge of the 96th District Court for Marquette County, Michigan.
Mason County
- Susan Sniegowski: First female judge in Mason County and Lake County, Michigan. She was also the first female to serve as the Prosecuting Attorney for Mason County, Michigan.
Monroe County
- Patricia Costello : First female judge in Monroe County, Michigan
Muskegon County
- Ruth Thompson : First female lawyer in Muskegon County, Michigan
Oakland County
- Denise Langford Morris: First African American female circuit court judge in Oakland County, Michigan
- Jessica R. Cooper: First female to serve as the Prosecutor for Oakland County, Michigan
Ottawa County
- Cora VandeWater: First female judge in Ottawa County, Michigan
Van Buren County
- Kathleen M. Brickley: First female judge in Van Buren County, Michigan
Washtenaw County
- Judith James Carlson: First female judge in Washtenaw County, Michigan
- Nancy Cornelia Wheeler : First African American female judge in Washtenaw County, Michigan
- Betty R. Widgeon: First female to serve as a Judge of the 14-A District Court in Washtenaw County, Michigan
Wayne County
- Martha Strickland Clark : First female lawyer in Detroit, Michigan
- Clara T. Livermore: First female judge in Detroit, Michigan
- Lila Neuenfelt: First female appointed as a judge of the Wayne County Circuit Court
- Marjorie McGovern: First African American female to serve as the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Wayne County, Michigan. She was also the first African American female to serve as a referee in the Wayne County Probate Court.
- Kym Worthy: First female to serve as the County Prosecutor for Wayne County, Michigan
- Laura A. Echartea: First Latino American female to serve as a Judge of the Thirty-Sixth Judicial District
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 Michigan