List of first women lawyers and judges in Texas
This is a list of the first women lawyer and judge in Texas. 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
- Edith W. Locke : First female admitted to practice law in Texas, though she did not exercise the right
- Hortense Sparks Ward : First female lawyer in Texas, as well as the first female admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court
- Florence Bates : One of the first female lawyers in Texas. She would leave the profession and become a Hollywood actress later in life.
- Beverly Tarpley : First female lawyer in Texas to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court
- Charlye O. Farris : First African American female lawyer in Texas
- Edna Cisneros : First Hispanic American female lawyer in Texas
Judicial Officers
State
Judges
- Sarah T. Hughes : First female judge in Texas
- Charlye O. Farris : First African American female to serve as a judge pro tem in Texas
- Harriet Mitchell Murphy : First African American female judge in Texas
- Barbara Hartle: First openly LGBT female judge in Texas
- Phyllis Frye : First openly LGBT judge in Texas
County Court
- Mary Velma Davenport: First female county judge in Texas
- Charlye O. Farris : First African American female elected as a county judge pro tem in Texas
- Alicia Chacón: First Latino American female elected as a judge of a major county in Texas
Municipal Court
- Barbara Hartle: First openly LGBT female to become a municipal court judge in Texas
- Phyllis Frye : First openly LGBT individual appointed as a municipal court judge in Texas
District Court
- Sarah T. Hughes : First female appointed as a Judge of the District Court in Texas
- Elma Salinas Ender : First Latino American female to serve as a state district court judge in Texas
- Mary Roman: First Latino American female elected as a state district court judge in Texas
- Kristen Hawkins : First female elected as a Judge of the Eleventh District Court in Texas
- Renee Rodriguez-Betancourt: First female to become the youngest district court judge in Texas
Court of Appeals
- Shirley W. Butts : First female appointed as Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals in Texas
- Camille Hutson–Dunn : First female appointed as a Justice of the First Court of Appeals in Texas
- Alice Oliver–Parrott: First female to serve as a Chief Justice in the Texas Court of Appeals
- Gaynelle Griffin Jones: First African American female to serve as an appellate court judge in Texas
- Linda Yanez: First female to serve as a Justice of the Thirteenth Court of Appeals in Texas
- Dori Contreras: First female justice appointed as the Chief Justice of the Thirteenth Court of Appeals in Texas
- Frances Bourliot: First Asian American female elected as an appellate court judge in Texas
Criminal Court of Appeals
- Sharon Keller : First female to serve as the Presiding Judge of the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals
- Elsa Alcala: First Latino American female to serve as a Judge of the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals
Supreme Court
- Margaret Harris Amsler : First female to serve as the Marshall of the Supreme Court of Texas
- Ruby Kless Sondock : First female appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas
- Rose Spector: First female elected as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas
- Eva Guzman: First Hispanic female appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas
Federal
District Court
- Sarah T. Hughes : First female appointed as a Judge of the Federal District Court in Texas
- Barbara M.G. Lynn : First female to become the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- Gabrielle Kirk McDonald: First African American female appointed as a Judge of the Southern District of Texas
- Hilda G. Tagle: First Hispanic American female to serve as an appellate judge in Texas
- Alia Moses : First female as a Judge of the U.S. States District Court for the Western District of Texas
- Brenda T. Rhoades: First Asian American to serve as a Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- Judith K. Guthrie: First female appointed as a Magistrate Judge of the U.S. States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- Karen Gren Scholer: First Asian American U.S. district court judge in Texas
Court of Appeals
- Leanne Johnson: First female elected to serve as a Justice of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for Texas
Deputy Attorney General
- Elizabeth B. Lacy: First female to serve as the Deputy Attorney General for Texas
Assistant Attorney General
- Ethel F. Hilton: First female to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for Texas
District Attorney
- Bonnie Leggat Hagan: First female to become a District Attorney in Texas
- Edna Cisneros : First Hispanic American female to become a District Attorney in Texas
Assistant District Attorney
- Sarah Menezes: First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Texas
United States Attorney
- Gaynelle Griffin Jones: First female to serve as a U.S. Attorney for Texas
County Attorney
- Nellie Gray Robertson: First female to serve as a County Attorney in Texas
Political Office
- Barbara Jordan : First African American female lawyer elected to the Texas Senate
- Irma L. Rangel : First Hispanic American female elected to the Texas State Legislature
- Sylvia Garcia and Veronica Escobar: First Hispanic American females elected to Congress in Texas
- Nandita Berry : First Indian American female to serve as the Secretary of State for Texas
Bar Association
- Harriet Miers : First female to serve as President of the State Bar of Texas
- Lisa Tatum: First African American female to serve as the President of the State Bar of Texas
Firsts in local history
Region
- Leticia Hinojosa: First female judge in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas
- Ginger Fagan: First female county judge elected in South Texas
Anderson County
- Allyson Mitchell: First female District Attorney for Anderson County, Texas
Andrews County
- Jeneane Anderegg: First female to serve as Commissioner for the Commissioners' Court of Andrews County, Texas
Aransas County
- Lola L. Bonner: First female to serve as the President of the Aransas County Bar Association, Texas
Austin County
- Carolyn Bilski: First female to serve as the County Judge of Austin County, Texas
Bastrop County
- Emma Webb : First female lawyer in Bastrop County, Texas
Bee County
- Stephanie Moreno: First female county judge in Bee County, Texas
Bell County
- Martha Trudo: First female judge in Bell County, Texas
- Ebony Todd: First African American female to serve as a municipal court judge in Nolanville, Texas
Bexar County
- Irene Gertrude Brown : First female lawyer in San Antonio, Texas
- Lanette Heilbron Glasscock : One of the first practicing female lawyers in Bexar County, Texas
- Janice S. McCoy: First female to serve as a Judge of the San Antonio Municipal Court
- Mary Roman: First Latino American female elected as a state district court judge in Bexar County, Texas
- Susan Reed: First female to serve as the District Attorney for Bexar County, Texas
- Jane Macon: First female to serve as the City Attorney for San Antonio, Texas
- Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez: First openly LGBT judge in Bexar County, Texas
Bowie County
- Kelley Crisp: First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney for Bowie County, Texas
Brazoria County
- Jerri Lee Mills: First female judge in Brazoria County, Texas
- Erum Jivani-Gillani: First Asian American female to serve as a Judge of the Pearland Municipal Court
Brewster County
- Val Beard: First female county judge in Brewster County, Texas
Brooks County
- Imelda Barrera: First female county judge in Brooks County, Texas
Burnet County
- Ophelia "Birdie" Harwood: First female judge in Marble Falls, Texas
- Donna Klaeger: First female judge in Burnet County, Texas
Caldwell County
- Rebecca Hawener: First female county judge in Caldwell County, Texas
Cameron County
- Migdalia Lopez: First female elected as a County Court at Law Judge in Cameron County, Texas. She is the first female to serve as a District Court Judge in Cameron and Willacy Counties, Texas.
Camp County
- Angela Saucier: First female to serve as a Judge of the 76th Judicial District
Cass County
- Courtney Shelton: First female District Attorney for Cass County, Texas
Chambers County
- Alma Lois Turner: First female county judge in Chambers County, Texas
Comal County
- Jennifer Tharp: First female District Attorney for Comal County, Texas
Dallas County
- Louise Raggio : First female prosecutor in Dallas County, Texas
- Lillian Brock: First female lawyer in Dallas, Texas
- Adelfa B. Callejo: First Hispanic American female lawyer in Dallas, Texas
- Harriet Miers : First female to serve as President of the Dallas Bar Association, Texas
- Laura Benitez Geisler: First Hispanic American female to serve as the President of the Dallas Bar Association, Texas
- Joan Winn: First African American female judge in Dallas, Texas
- Margaret Keliher: First female to serve as the Dallas County Judge, Texas
- Susan Hawk: First female District Attorney for Dallas County, Texas
- Faith Johnson: First African American female District Attorney for Dallas County, Texas
- Audrey Moorehead: First female elected as the Judge of Dallas County Criminal Court #3 in Texas
Delta County
- Ginny Phifer: First female Justice of the Peace in Delta County, Texas
Denton County
- Mary Horn: First female county judge in Denton County, Texas
Ector County
- Sara Kate Billingsley: First female district judge in Ector County, Texas
El Paso County
- Edith Shirley Abbott: First female lawyer in El Paso, Texas
- Edelmira Navarro: Reputed to be the first Latino American female lawyer in El Paso, Texas
- Kitty Schild and Janet Reusch: First female judges in El Paso, Texas
- Maxine Shaprow : First African American female Assistant District Attorney for El Paso, Texas
Ellis County
- Barbara Warren: First female judge in Waxahachie, Texas
Erath County
- Lanelle Harbin: First female judge in Erath County, Texas
Falls County
- Nita Wuebker: First female to serve on the Falls County Commissioners Court
Fannin County
- Mildred Eileen Cox: First female county judge in Fannin County, Texas
Fort Bend County
- Hortense Sparks Ward : First female lawyer in Houston, Texas
- Lois L. Woods: First African American female graduate from the Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law
- Kathleen Lindsey: First female lawyer in Fort Bend County, Texas
- Toni Wallace: First African American female judge in Fort Bend County, Texas
- Juli Mathew: First female of South Asian descent to serve as a judge in Fort Bend County, Texas
- Kristen Brauchle Hawkins: First female appointed as a Judge of the Eleventh District Court in Houston, Texas
- Erum Jivani-Gillani: First Asian American female to serve as a Judge of the Pearland Municipal Court
Galveston County
- Susan P. Baker: First female judge in Galveston County, Texas
Gray County
- Rosa Jane White: First female lawyer to try a case in Pampa, Texas
Gregg County
- Olga Lapin: First female lawyer in Gregg County, Texas
Grimes County
- Andria Bender: First female District Attorney for Grimes County, Texas
Guadalupe County
- Elizabeth Jandt: First female lawyer in Guadalupe County, Texas. She was also the first female elected as the County Attorney.
Harris County
- Hortense Sparks Ward : First female lawyer in Houston, Texas
- Hannah Chow: First Asian American female to serve as a Judge of the Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 5
- Phyllis Frye : First openly LGBT individual to serve as a Judge of the Houston Municipal Court in Texas
- Pat Lykos: First female District Attorney for Harris County, Texas
- Debra Ibarra Mayfield: First Latino American female to serve as a county court judge in Harris County, Texas
- Lina Hidalgo: First female elected as the Harris County Judge
- Shannon Baldwin: First openly LGBT African American female judge in Harris County, Texas
- Lois L. Woods: First African American female graduate from the Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of
Law - Joyce M. Burg : First female lawyer in Houston, Texas
- Barbara Hartle: First openly
LGBT female to serve as a Judge of the Houston Municipal Court in Texas - Kriste
n Brauchle Hawkins: First female appointed as a Judge of the Eleventh District Court in Houston, Texas - Sherry D. Tavel: First female municipal judge in Pasadena, Texas
- Erum Jivani-Gillani: Fir
st Asian American female to serve as a Judge of the Pearland Municipal Court Hays County
- Irene Gertrude Brown and Rose Zelosky: First females to graduate with a law degree from the University of Texas
Hidalgo County
- Micaela Alvarez : First female appointed as a Judge of the 139th Judicial District Court in Hidalgo County, Texas. She would later become a district court judge.
- Renee Rodriguez-Betancourt: First female to become the youngest district court judge in Hidalgo County, Texas
Hood County
- Nellie Gray Robertson: First female to serve as the Hood County Attorney
- Linda Steen: First female county judge in Hood County, Texas
Hudspeth County
- Becky Dean: First female judge in Hudspeth County, Texas
Hunt County
- Keli Aiken: First female elected to serve as a district court judge in Hunt County, Texas
Jefferson County
- Lindsey Scott: First female to become a state district judge in Jefferson County, Texas
Jones County
- Beverly Tarpley : First female to serve as the President of the Abilene Bar Association
Karnes County
- Barbara Shaw: First female county judge in Karnes County, Texas
- Audrey Gossett-Louis: First female to serve as the District Attorney for the 281st Judicial District
Kaufman County
- Maxine Darst Flatt : First female lawyer in Kaufman County, Texas. She would later become a judge.
Liberty County
- Lois Marie Jett: First female to earn a law degree in Liberty County, Texas
- Peggy Dunn: First female elected judge in Liberty County, Texas
Llano County
- Mary S. Cunningham: First female judge in Llano County, Texas
Lubbock County
- Emma K. Boone : First female lawyer in Lubbock County, Texas
- Pat Moore : First female lawyer elected to public office in Lubbock County, Texas. She is also the first female appointed as a Judge of the 72nd District Court.
- Aurora Chaides Hernandez : First Hispanic American female to serve as Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace in Lubbock, Texas
McLennan County
- Margaret Harris Amsler : First female to graduate from Baylor Law School
Medina County
- Francis C. Richter : First female lawyer in Medina County, Texas
Midland County
- Barbara Culver: First female judge in Midland County, Texas
- Teresa Clingman: First female District Attorney for Midland County, Texas
Montague County
- Stacy Gamblin: First female to serve as a Commissioner in Montague County, Texas
Montgomery County
- Hortense Sparks Ward : First female lawyer in Houston, Texas
- Lois L. Woods: First African American female graduate from the Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law
- Barbara Hale : First female to become the Assistant County Attorney for Montgomery County, Texas
- Kristen Brauchle Hawkins: First female appointed as a Judge of the Eleventh District Court in Houston, Texas
Morris County
- Lynda Munkres: First female judge in Morris County, Texas
- Angela Saucier: First female to serve as a Judge of the 76th Judicial District
Nacogdoches County
- Sue Kennedy: First female judge in Nacogdoches County, Texas
Newton County
- Leona Jones Choate: First female Justice of the Peace in Newton County, Texas
Nueces County
- Rene Haas: First female judge in Nueces County, Texas
- Hilda G. Tagle: First Hispanic American female judge in Nueces County, Texas
- Barbara Canales: First female elected as a judge in Nueces County, Texas
- Irma L. Rangel : First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney for Corpus Christi, Texas
Orange County
- Courtney Arkeen: First female state district judge in Orange County, Texas
Panola County
- Lee Ann Jones: First female county judge in Panola County, Texas
Potter County
- Nancy Tanner: First female judge in Potter County, Texas
Presidio County
- Cinderela Guevara: First female county judge in Presidio County, Texas
Real County
- Bella Rubio: First female county judge in Real County, Texas
Rockwall County
- Lorie Grinnan: First female to be re-elected as a Commissioner for Rockwall County, Texas
San Patricio County
- Tamara Cochran-May: First female to serve as the County Attorney for San Patricio County, Texas
Shackelford County
- Joanne Fincher: First female judge in Shackelford County, Texas
Shelby County
- Allison Harbison: First female judge in Shelby County, Texas
Smith County
- Ruth Blake : First female judge in Smith County, Texas
- Ruth Yeager: First female to serve as the President of the Smith County Bar Association, Texas
Tarrant County
- Shirley W. Butts : First female Assistant District Attorney in Tarrant County, Texas
- Brooke Allen: First female probate court judge in Tarrant County, Texas
- Dionne Phillips Bagsby: First African American female elected to the Tarrant County Commissioners Court
- Sharen Wilson: First female District Attorney for Tarrant County, Texas
Taylor County
- Beverly Tarpley : First female to serve as the President of the Abilene Bar Association
Titus County
- Angela Saucier: First female to serve as a Judge of the 76th Judicial District
Tom Green County
- Marilyn Aboussie : First female district judge in Tom Green County, Texas
- Barbara Walther: First female elected as a Judge of the 51st District Court in Tom Green County, Texas
Travis County
- Irene Gertrude Brown and Rose Zelosky: First
females to graduate with a law degree from the University of Texas - Anna Sandbo: First female lawyer in Austin, Texas
- Sarah Eckhardt : First female judge in Travis County, Texas
- Julie Kocurek: First female district court judge in Travis County, Texas
- Rosemary Lehmberg: First female District Attorney for Travis County, Texas
- Dimple Malhotra: First female of South Asian descent to serve as a judge in Travis County, Texas
Upshur County
- Lauren Parish: First female judge in Upshur County, Texas
Upton County
- Peggy Garner: First female judge in Upton County, Texas
Van Zandt County
- Teresa Drum: First female to serve as a Judge of the 294th District Court in Van Zandt County, Texas
Webb County
- Elma Salinas Ender: First Latino American female to serve as a Judge of the 341st Judicial District of Texas
Wichita County
- Charlye O. Farris : First female lawyer to practice law in Wichita County, Texas
- Pat Norriss: First female to serve on the commissioner’s court in Wichita County, Texas
Willacy County
- Migdalia Lopez: First female to serve as a District Court Judge in Cameron and Willacy Counties, Texas
Williamson County
- Irene Gertrude Brown and Rose Zelosky: First females to graduate with a law degree from the University of Texas
- Frances Fullerton : First female lawyer in Williamson County, Texas
Winkler County
- Mary Frances Clark: First female judge in Winkler County, Texas
Wise County
- Mary Velma Davenport: First female county judge in Wise County, Texas
Zapata County
- Norma Villarreal Ramírez: First female county judge in Zapata County, Texas
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 Texas