List of first women lawyers and judges in Alabama explained

This is a list of the first women lawyer(s) and judge(s) in Alabama. 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 Alabama's history

Law School

• First female law graduates: Floella T. Bonner and Virginia Henry Mayfield in 1920^[1]

Lawyers

• First female: Maud McLure Kelly (1908)^[2]
• First African American female: Mahala Ashley Dickerson (1948)^{[3] [4]}
• One of Alabama's first Korean American lawyers (2008): Doh Ah Kim^[5]

State judges

• First female: Virginia Henry Mayfield in 1923^{[6] [7]}
• First African American female: Faya Ora Rose Touré^{[8] [9]}
• First female (Alabama Court of Appeals): Annie Lola Price (1928) in 1951^{[10] [11]}
• First female (Supreme Court of Alabama): Janie Shores (1959) in 1974
• First elected female (trial judge): Phyllis S. Nesbit in 1976^{[12] [13]}
• First female (probate judge): Earlean Isaac in 1989^[14]
• First female (district court judge): Sharon Lovelace Blackburn in 1991^[15]
• First female (Southern District of Alabama): Callie "Ginny" V. Granade (1975) in 2002^[16]
• First female chief justice (Supreme Court of Alabama): Sue Bell Cobb (1981) in 2006^[17]
• First (African American) female (elected state judge): Deborah Biggers (1975) in 2014^{[18] [19]}
• First female (presiding judge): Elisabeth French in 2020^[20]

• First female (acting): Alice Martin (1981) in 2017^[21]

United States Attorney

• First female (Northern District of Alabama): Alice Martin (1981) in 2001
• First Jewish American female: Joyce Vance in 2009^[22]

Assistant United States Attorney

• First female (Southern District of Alabama): Callie "Ginny" V. Granade (1975) from 1977-2011^[23]

District Attorneys

• First female: Janice Clardy in 1985^[24]
• First African American female: Lynneice Washington (1996) in 2017^{[25] [26]}

Assistant District Attorney

• First female: Judith "Judy" Crittenden (1970)^{[27] [28]}

Political Office

• First females elected to U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama: Terri Sewell (1994) and Martha Roby (c. 2001) in 2010^{[29] [30] [31]}
• First female elected to U.S. Senate from Alabama: Katie Britt in 2022^[32]

• First African American female (admitted to state bar): Estelle Henderson (1919)^{[33] [34] [35]}
• First female president: Alyce Manley in 2010^[36]

Firsts in local history

• Martha Lynn Sherrod:^[37] First African American female judge to win a partisan election in North Alabama
• Inge Prytz Johnson (1973): First female to serve on the 31st Judicial Circuit Court of Alabama (1978)
• Shannon Clark:^[38] First female serve as a Judge of the Twelfth District in Alabama (2011)
• Kimberly Clark (1996):^{[39] [40]} First female serve as a Judge of the Thirty-Third Judicial Circuit in Alabama (2015)
• Janice Clardy: First female to serve as a District Attorney in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit of Alabama (1985) [<nowiki/>[[Autauga County, Alabama|Autauga]], Chilton and Elmore Counties, Alabama]
• Phyllis S. Nesbit: First female to serve on the Baldwin County District Court (1976). She was also the first female President of the Baldwin County Bar Association, Alabama (1966-1967).
• Sherry Burns:^[41] First female judge in Blount County, Alabama (2010)
• Shannon Clark: First female circuit court judge for Coffee and Pike Counties, Alabama (2011)
• Sue Bell Cobb (1981): First female judge in Conecuh County, Alabama
• Eugenia Lee Loggins (1978):^[42] First female lawyer in the city of Opp and Covington County, Alabama
• Juliet St. John Given (1976):^[43] First female lawyer in Cullman County, Alabama
• Kimberly Clark: First female circuit court judge in Dale and Geneva Counties, Alabama (2015)
• Earlean Isaac: First African American female to serve on the Greene County Probate Court in Alabama (1989)
• Lori Collier Ingram:^[44] First female district court judge in Houston County, Alabama (2009)
• Deborah Dunsmore:^[45] First female municipal court judge in Scottsboro, Alabama (2022) [<nowiki/>[[Jackson County, Alabama]]]
• Nina Miglionico:^[46] First female (a lawyer) to become a member of the Birmingham City Council (1963) [<nowiki/>[[Jefferson County, Alabama]]]
• Judith "Judy" Crittenden (1970): First female to become an Assistant District Attorney in Jefferson County, Alabama
• Agnes Chappell (1977):^[47] First African American female lawyer in Jefferson County, Alabama. She would later become a judge.
• Helen Shores Lee (1987):^[48] First African American female to serve on the Civil Division of the Circuit Court of Jefferson County (2003)
• Kira Fonteneau:^[49] First (African American) female to head the then newly created Jefferson County Public Defender Office (2012)
• Lynneice Washington (1996):^{[50] [51]} First female (and African American female) District Attorney in Jefferson County, Alabama (2017)
• Elisabeth French:^[52] First female to serve as the Presiding Judge of the Jefferson County Court in Alabama (2020)
• Deborah Bell Paseur (1977):^[53] First female lawyer in Lauderdale County, Alabama. She would later become a judge.
• Angie Hamilton:^[54] First female to serve as an Assistant District Attorney for Lauderdale County, Alabama (2017)
• Angela Dawson Terry (1998):^[55] First female district judge in Lawrence County, Alabama
• Linda W.H. Henderson:^[56] First female to become President of the Macon County Bar Association (2000-2003, et al.)
• Martha Lynn Sherrod: First African American (female) to serve as the Assistant District Attorney and a Presiding Municipal and District Court Judge in Madison County, Alabama
• Andrea LeCroy:^[57] First female probate judge in Marshall County, Alabama
• Jennifer Bray:^[58] First female to serve as the District Attorney for Marshall County, Alabama (2023)
• Sonja Bivins:^[59] First African American [female] magistrate in Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama
• Frankie Fields Smith:^[60] First African American female to serve as a Municipal Court Judge in Mobile County, Alabama (1975)
• Ashley Rich:^[61] First female District Attorney of Mobile County, Alabama (2010)
• Eldora Anderson:^[62] First African American female (and African American in general) probate judge in Perry County, Alabama (2006)
• Amy Newsome:^[63] First female district court judge in Randolph County, Alabama (2018)
• Brandi Williams:^[64] First female municipal court judge in St. Clair County, Alabama (2018)
• Patricia M. Smith:^[65] First female judge in Shelby County, Alabama
• Jill Lee:^[66] First female to become District Attorney for Shelby County, Alabama (2014)
• Virginia H. Mayfield: First female judge in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama (1923)
• Jane Kimbrough Dishuck (1947):^[67] First female lawyer in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
• Mabey Yerby Lawson:^{[68] [69]} First female to graduate from the University of Alabama law school [Tuscaloosa County, Alabama]
• Briana Westry-Robinson:^{[70] [71]} First African-American female to serve as the youngest judge in Wilcox County, Alabama (2017)

See also

• List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States [Nationwide]
• Timeline of women lawyers in the United States
• Women in law

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 Alabama

References

1. News: June 4, 1923 . State News . 2 . The Selma Times-Journal . April 30, 2020 . Newspapers.com.
2. News: Alabama State Bar Inducts New Members to Lawyers' Hall of Fame — Alabama State Bar. 2014-05-02. Alabama State Bar. 2016-10-06.
3. Book: Smith, John Clay. Rebels in Law: Voices in History of Black Women Lawyers. 2000. University of Michigan Press. 0472086464.
4. Book: Mason, Herman Skip . Politics, Civil Rights, and Law in Black Atlanta, 1870-1970 . December 2000 . Arcadia Publishing . 978-0-7385-8226-9 . en.
5. Web site: Harper . Brad . Lawyer Soo Seok Yang wins Chad Stewart community service award . 2024-02-10 . Montgomery Advertiser . en-US.
6. News: Women in the Judiciary. August 1984. Court News.
7. Book: Dabney, Richard. Birmingham's Highland Park. 2006-11-08. Arcadia Publishing. 9781439617496.
8. Web site: Councilors Ayanna Pressley and Charles C. Yancey. March 3, 2010.
9. News: From Selma to Ferguson and back: Has anything changed?. Basu. Moni. January 7, 2015. 2018-02-01. CNN. Ravitz. Jessica.
10. October 3, 1972 . Memorial Service for the Honorable Annie Lola Price . Alabama Appellate Courts Reports . 49:5.
11. News: 2016-02-23 . Cullman's Judge Annie Lola Price Was a Woman Ahead of Her Time! . CullmanSense . 2017-10-16.
12. Web site: Judge Phyllis S. Nesbit: A Woman of Courage. Cheely. Elizabeth Cason Crosby. The Alabama Lawyer.
13. Web site: Alabama's first woman elected trial judge dies. archive.decaturdaily.com. 2018-12-26.
14. Web site: Slowe . Betty . Looking Back: 1/27 . 2018-12-26 . Tuscaloosa News . en.
15. Web site: U.S. District Courts in Alabama . 2018-12-26 . Encyclopedia of Alabama . en.
16. Book: Erickson, Ben . Mobile's legal legacy: three hundred years of law in the Port City . 2008 . Association Pub. Co. . 978-0-9668380-8-4 . Birmingham, Ala.
17. News: Johnson . Bob . Sue Bell Cobb resigns as chief justice . Tuscaloosa News . Associated Press . 2018-02-08.
18. Web site: January 2015 . Deborah Biggers '75 Elected District Court Judge in Alabama . 2018-02-09 . Fisk University News (Fisk University).
19. Upon her appointment as a Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of Alabama
20. Web site: 2020-02-21 . UM alumna becomes first female African American presiding judge in Alabama . 2022-03-10 . The University of Montevallo . en.
21. News: Alice Martin asked Robert Bentley to appoint her as Attorney General. AL.com. 2018-11-08. en-US.
22. Web site: Witzenburg . Kristin . 2021-06-22 . PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - JUNE . 2024-05-17 . WLALA . en-US.
23. Book: Congressional Record, V. 148, PT. 1, January 23, 2002 to February 13, 2002. 2006-04-28. Government Printing Office. 9780160760747. en.
24. Web site: Big Case Began D.A.'s Career. Lackeos. Nick. July 21, 1997. The Montgomery Advertiser. en. 2020-03-10.
25. News: This Former Judge Just Became Alabama's First Black Female District Attorney. Hill. Zahara. 2017-01-25. Huffington Post. 2018-01-10.
26. News: Jefferson County set for arrival of two new district attorneys. Blandin. Venton. WBMA. 2018-01-10.
27. Web site: Judith S.Crittenden - Alabama Lawyers - The Redoubtable Ms. Crittenden. Super Lawyers. en. 2018-12-26.
28. Web site: Crittenden, Marsh Receive Cumberland Alumni Awards. Samford University. en. 2018-12-26.
29. News: Black Lawmakers Break New Ground, Suffer Losses Madame Noire Blac…. https://archive.today/20120707163932/http://atlantapost.com/2010/11/03/black-lawmakers-break-new-ground-suffer-losses/. dead. 2012-07-07. 2012-07-07. archive.is. 2018-11-07.
30. News: Terri Sewell, Martha Roby first women elected to U.S. House from Alabama. 6WBRC. 2018-11-07. en-US.
31. Sewell has the added distinction of being the first African American female elected to Congress.
32. News: Treisman . Rachel . 2022-11-09 . Meet some of Tuesday's history-making election winners . en . NPR . 2022-11-09.
33. News: Oakland Cemetery visitors asked to donate for sisters' sake . English . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . 2022-03-10 . 1539-7459.
34. Book: Smith Jr., J. Clay . Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944 . 1999 . University of Pennsylvania Press . 978-0-8122-1685-1 . en.
35. Upon the analyses of various sources, although Henderson was the first African American woman to gain admittance to the Alabama Bar, there is a high possibility that she relocated soon after to Georgia.
36. Web site: Northport woman becomes 1st female attorney to head Alabama State Bar. AL.com. en-US. 2018-12-26.
37. Web site: Schueller. Olivia. Local attorney reacts to President Biden vowing to nominate a black female to Supreme Court. 2022-02-05. WAAY 31 News. en.
38. Web site: Shannon Clark sworn-in as Circuit Judge . 2018-12-26 . The Elba Clipper . en.
39. News: JSL Alumni Receive Judicial Appointments in the Wiregrass Area - Faulkner University . Faulkner University . 2018-02-10.
40. Web site: Kimberly Clark Takes Oath of Office as Circuit Judge . 2018-12-26 . www.wtvy.com . en.
41. Web site: Wallace State's Adult Education conducts 2016 GED Commencement, 178 students graduating this year Wallace State News. news.wallacestate.edu. 2018-02-09.
42. Web site: Opp Chamber of Commerce. www.facebook.com. 2017-09-26.
43. News: Remembering the life of Juliet Given John Calvin 1933 - 2016. 2017-09-26.
44. Web site: Judge Lori Collier Ingram announces candidacy for Houston County District Court judge. Staff report. Dothan Eagle. en. 2018-12-26.
45. Web site: Patterson . DeWayne . Dunsmore named Scottsboro's first female city judge . 2022-10-28 . Jackson County Sentinel . en.
46. Web site: How Alabama Lawyers Value Their Legal Heritage. July 2012. Alabama Lawyer.
47. News: Talladega College hosts opening convocation honoring Black History Month (photos). The Anniston Star. 2017-09-18.
48. Web site: Retired Judge Helen Shores Lee, daughter of MLK's attorney, dies. AL.com. en-US. 2018-12-26.
49. Web site: Birmingham lawyer Kira Fonteneau hired to lead Jefferson County's first public defender office. 2012-11-29. al. en. 2020-03-11.
50. Web site: Lynneice Washington steps into history as new district attorney in Bessemer Cutoff. AL.com. en-US. 2018-12-13.
51. Web site: Jefferson County set for arrival of two new district attorneys. Blandin. Venton. 2016-11-10. WBMA. 2018-12-13.
52. Web site: Judge Elisabeth French to Become First Female Presiding Judge of Jefferson County Court System. Alabama State Bar. en. 2020-03-15.
53. Web site: The Voter's Self Defense System. Vote Smart. 2017-09-26.
54. Web site: Hamilton is county's first female assistant DA. Smith. Tom. TimesDaily. en. 2019-06-27.
55. News: Lawrence's first female judge known for fairness, knowledge of law. Mcdaniel. Deangelo. February 22, 2016. Decatur Daily.
56. Web site: Linda Henderson candidate for district judge. The Tuskegee News. en. 2018-12-26.
57. Web site: LeCroy talks about special American flag. Beck. Taylor. sandmountainreporter.com. en. 2019-02-22.
58. Web site: Sapp . Savannah . 2023-02-03 . ‘I am honored’: meet Marshall County’s first female district attorney . 2023-07-31 . WAFF . en.
59. Web site: May 7, 2006 . The judge who changed Mobile COMING MONDAY Federal Judge Virgil Pittman upended Mobile's entrenched political systems but had to weather intense disdain. The judge who changed Mobile Virgil Pittman transformed local government, upended segregation . 2024-04-13 . infoweb.newsbank.com.
60. Web site: Black Pioneer Lawyers in Alabama—Living Legends. Johnson, Jr.. Raymond L.. May 1993. Alabama Lawyer.
61. Web site: About the District Attorney. Mobile County District Attorney. en. 2018-12-13.
62. Web site: WEST ALABAMA ROUNDUP: Fayette sheriff goes down in runoff. Dewitt. Robert. Tuscaloosa News. en. 2019-01-14.
63. Web site: Newsome sworn in as district judge. The Randolph Leader. 2018-12-26.
64. Web site: Pell City appoints first female municipal court judge. Glidewell. Urainah. St. Clair News-Aegis. en. 2018-12-26.
65. Web site: Judge Patti will be a state asset Shelby County Reporter. m.shelbycountyreporter.com. 2018-02-09.
66. Web site: Jill Lee sworn in as first female Shelby County District Attorney. Brooks. Graham. 2014-10-27. Shelby County Reporter. 2018-12-26.
67. Web site: Jane Kimbrough Dishuck's Obituary on Tuscaloosa News. Tuscaloosa News. 2017-10-16.
68. Web site: About the Greystone Mansion. thegreystonemansion.com. 2017-09-26.
69. Web site: Dillard-Lawson House · Omeka at Auburn. omeka.lib.auburn.edu. 2017-09-26.
70. News: Alabama's Youngest Black Female Judge Sworn In - Alabama News. 2017-01-25. Alabama News. 2018-02-02.
71. News: Southern University graduate makes Alabama history as youngest African-American female judge. WAFB Staff. 2018-02-02.