List of first women lawyers and judges in Washington explained

This is a list of the first women lawyer(s) and judge(s) in the U.S. state of Washington. 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 Washington's history

Lawyers

• First female: Mary Leonard (1885)^[1]
• First Jewish American female: Bella Weretnikow Rosenbaum (1901)^{[2] [3] [4]}
• First Filipino American female: Dolores Sibonga (1973)^[5]
• First female quadriplegic: Holly Caudill (1995)^{[6] [7] [8]}

Law Clerks

• First female to clerk for the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III: Victoria L. Vreeland^[9]
• First female to clerk for the Supreme Court of Washington: Susan Carlson in 2016^[10]

State judges

• First female (justice of the peace): Mildred Henthorn Hamill in 1911^{[11] [12]}
• First female: Reah Whitehead (1893)in 1914^{[13] [14]}
• First Latino American female: Carmen Otero in 1980^{[15] [16]}
• First female (Washington Supreme Court): Carolyn R. Dimmick (1953) in 1981^[17]
• First African American female (municipal court): Norma S. Huggins in 1983^[18]
• First African American female (superior court): Norma S. Huggins in 1988
• First Asian American female: C. Kimi Kondo in 1991^[19]
• First female (Chief Justice; Washington Supreme Court): Barbara Durham in 1995^[20]
• First Korean American (female): Mariane Spearman in 1999^{[21] [22]}
• First Iranian American (female): Susan Amini in 2013^[23]
• First Asian American, Latino American, and openly lesbian (female) (Washington Supreme Court): Mary Yu (1993) in 2014^{[24] [25]}
• First (African American) openly lesbian female (superior court): Helen Whitener (1998) in 2015^{[26] [27]}
• First African American female (Washington Court of Appeals; Judge and Chief Judge): Lori K. Smith in 2018^[28]
• First (African American) openly lesbian female (Washington Supreme Court): Helen Whitener (1998) in 2020
• First Native American (Pueblo of Isleta/Pueblo of Laguna) (female) (Washington Supreme Court): Raquel Montoya-Lewis in 2020^[29]
• First South Asian female: Kuljinder Dhillon in 2021^[30]

Federal judges

• First female (U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington): Rosanna M. Peterson (1991)^[31]
• First Asian American (female) (U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington): Tana Lin in 2021^{[32] [33]}
• First Native American (female) (United States District Court for the Western District of Washington): Lauren J. King in 2021^[34]

• First female: Christine Gregoire (1977) from 1993-2004^[35]

Assistant Attorney General

• First female: June Fowles in 1939^[36]

Deputy Attorney General

• First female: Christine Gregoire (1977) in 1981

United States Attorney

• Jenny Durkan (1986):^[37] First openly LGBT female appointed as a U.S. Attorney in Washington (2009)
• Vanessa Waldref

^[38] First female to serve as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington (2021)

Assistant United States Attorney

• Holly Caudill:^{[39] [40] [41] [42]} First female quadriplegic to work as an Assistant United States Attorney in Washington (1995)

Political Office

• First female (Washington State Senate): Reba Hurn (1910) from 1923-1930^{[43] [44] [45]}
• Jenny Durkan (1986): First openly LGBT female (a lawyer) elected as the Mayor of Seattle, Washington (2017)
• Laurie Jinkins (1990):^[46] First openly LGBT female (a lawyer) elected as a Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the Twenty-Seventh District (2011)

• First female president: Elizabeth “Betty” Bracelin^[47]

Firsts in local history

• Kathryn Ann Mautz:^[48] First female judge in Eastern Washington
• Charnelle Bjelkengren

^[49] First African American female judge in Eastern Washington (2019)

• Carolyn Brown:^[50] First female to serve as a Judge of the Benton-Franklin Superior Court, Washington (1988)
• Norma Rodriguez:^[51] First Latino American female to serve as a Judge of the Benton-Franklin Superior Court, Washington (2022)
• Carol Wardell:^[52] First female judge in Chelan and Douglas Counties, Washington (1991)
• Carol Fuller:^[53] First female to serve as a superior court judge in Mason and Thurston Counties, Washington (1979)
• Susan Owens:^[54] First female judge in Clallam County, Washington
• Lauren Erickson:^[55] First female appointed as a Judge of the Clallam County Superior Court, Washington (2019)
• Barbara Johnson:^[56] First female judge in Clark County, Washington (1987)
• Camara Banfield:^[57] First African American (female) to serve as a Judge of the Clark County Superior Court (2021)
• Jill Johanson:^[58] First female appointed as a Judge of the Superior Court in Cowlitz County, Washington
• Eliza Forbes:^[59] First female Justice of the Peace in King County, Washington
• Carmen Otero:^[60] First Latino American female judge in King County, Washington
• Susan Amini: First Iranian American (female) to serve as a Judge of the King County Superior Court (2013)
• Leah Taguba:^[61] First Filipino American female to serve as a Judge of the King County District Court (2021)
• Leila Robinson Sawtelle (1882):^[62] First female lawyer in Seattle, Washington (King County, Washington, 1884)
• Bella Weretnikow Rosenbaum (1901): First Jewish American female lawyer in Seattle, Washington [King County, Washington]
• Othilia Carroll Beals

^[63] First female Justice of the Peace in Seattle, Washington [King County, Washington]

• C. Kimi Kondo: First Asian American female to serve as a Judge of the Seattle Municipal Court in Washington (c. 1991)
• Marcine Anderson:^[64] First female (and Asian American) elected as a Judge of the Shoreline District Court (King County, Washington; 2010)
• Betty Fletcher

^[65] First female to serve as the President of the South King County Bar Association, Washington (1972)

• Tracy Flood:^[66] First African American female judge in Kitsap County, Washington (2021)
• Jo Anne Alumbaugh (1979):^[67] First female lawyer in Kittitas County, Washington
• Joely O’Rourke:^[68] First female judge in Lewis County, Washington
• Helen Whitener (1998): First openly LGBT and African American female to serve as Judge of the Pierce County Superior Court, Washington (2015)
• Diane Clarkson:^[69] First African American female (and African American in general) to serve as the President of the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association, Washington (2016)
• Mary Robnett:^[70] First female to serve as the Prosecuting Attorney for Pierce County, Washington (2019)
• Kay Trumbull (1974):^[71] First female Judge of the Superior Court in Snohomish County, Washington
• Reba Hurn (1910): First female lawyer in Spokane, Washington [<nowiki/>[[Spokane County, Washington]]]
• Kathleen Taft (1935):^{[72] [73] [74]} First female judicial officer (a commissioner) in Spokane County, Washington (1950)
• Kathleen O’Connor (1975):^[75] First female Judge of the Superior Court of Spokane County, Washington
• Gloria Ochoa-Bruck:^[76] First Latino American female judge in Spokane County, Washington
• Charnelle Bjelkengren: First African American female to become a Judge of the Superior Court of Spokane County, Washington (2019)
• Julia W. Ker (1912):^[77] First female lawyer in Olympia, Washington. She was also the first female police judge in Washington and the U.S. (1926). [<nowiki/>[[Thurston County, Washington]]]
• Sally Elke:^[78] First female Justice of the Peace in Tumwater, Washington (1942) [<nowiki/>[[Thurston County, Washington]]]
• Carol Fuller: First female to serve as a superior court judge in Mason and Thurston Counties, Washington (1979)
• Aurel M. Kelly (1949):^[79] First female lawyer in Walla Walla, Washington [<nowiki/>[[Walla Walla County, Washington]]]
• Sandy Flores (2008):^[80] First Latin American female lawyer in Walla Walla County, Washington
• Elizabeth M. Balas:^[81] First female lawyer in Whatcom County, Washington
• Raquel Montoya-Lewis:^{[82] [83]} First Native American (Pueblo of Isleta/Pueblo of Laguna) female judge in Whatcom County, Washington (2015)
• Sonia Rodriguez True:^{[84] [85]} First Latino American (female) to serve as a Commissioner (2020) and Judge (2022) of the Yakima County Superior Court

See also

• List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States
• 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 Washington

References

1. Book: VanBurkleo, Sandra F.. Gender Remade: Citizenship, Suffrage, and Public Power in the New Northwest, 1879–1912. 2015-11-30. Cambridge University Press. 9781316473030. en.
2. Web site: First Jewish woman lawyer admitted to Washington state bar Jewish Women's Archive. jwa.org. en. 2018-02-12.
3. Book: Abrams, Jeanne E.. Jewish Women Pioneering the Frontier Trail: A History in the American West. November 2007. NYU Press. 9780814707203. en.
4. Book: America, History and Life. 2005. ABC-CLIO. en.
5. Book: Parker, Monica R.. What it Takes: How Women of Color Can Thrive Within the Practice of Law. registration. 6. first filipina to practice law in the united states.. 2010-01-01. American Bar Association. 9781590319925. en.
6. Web site: Quadriplegic An Inspiration To All She Meets The Spokesman-Review. www.spokesman.com. 2019-06-28.
7. News: Obituaries. 1999-05-28. Los Angeles Times. 2019-06-28. en-US. 0458-3035.
8. Web site: Obituaries in the News. AP NEWS. 2019-06-28.
9. Web site: 2021. King County Bar Association's Annual Awards Celebration. King County Bar Association.
10. Web site: Washington State Courts - News, Reports, Court Information. 2022-01-24. www.courts.wa.gov.
11. News: First Woman Judge in the Country. The Day Book. 1911-12-21. 2019-02-27. 2163-7121.
12. Web site: Hamill, Mildred Henthorn Alaska History. www.alaskahistory.org. 2019-02-27.
13. Book: Washington State Bar News. 1995. Washington State Bar Association. en.
14. Book: Vile, John R.. Great American Judges: An Encyclopedia. 2003. ABC-CLIO. 9781576079898. en.
15. Web site: King County Judge Otero To Retire The Seattle Times . 2020-01-28 . archive.seattletimes.com.
16. Web site: From Teacher To Judge To Time Off -- Otero Plans To Retire After Two Decades On King County Bench The Seattle Times . 2020-01-28 . archive.seattletimes.com.
17. News: Carolyn Dimmick: A judge for all seasons - Legacy Washington - WA Secretary of State. 2018-02-02.
18. Web site: Equal Justice Newsletter: Volume 3, Number 1, March 2000 . 2018-02-02 . www.courts.wa.gov.
19. Web site: 2019-01-21 . Judge C. Kimi Kondo retirement . 2019-01-22 . Northwest Asian Weekly . en-US.
20. Web site: Business Durham Resigning State Supreme Court Seattle Times Newspaper. community.seattletimes.nwsource.com. 2019-07-22.
21. Book: Martin, Mart . The Almanac Of Women And Minorities In American Politics 2002 . 2018-04-24 . Routledge . 9780429976483 . en.
22. Web site: 2016-10-05 . The Times recommends: Mariane Spearman for King County Superior Court position 53 . 2019-07-22 . The Seattle Times . en-US.
23. Web site: Governor Inslee appoints Susan Amini to King County Superior Court Governor Jay Inslee . 2022-04-12 . www.governor.wa.gov . en.
24. Web site: State Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu sworn in. Camden. Jim. May 21, 2014. The Spokesman-Review.
25. Web site: Justice Mary I. Yu . Washington State Courts.
26. Web site: Judge Helen Whitener '98 named Woman of the Year : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington . 2019-04-04 . law.seattleu.edu.
27. News: Jenkins . Austin . Gov. Jay Inslee Appoints First Black Female Justice To Serve On Washington Supreme Court . 2020-04-28 . Opb . en.
28. Web site: 2018-07-03 . Inslee Appoints Judge Lori K. Smith To State Court Of Appeals . 2024-01-30 . The Seattle Medium . en-US.
29. News: Shirley . Julie . January 6, 2020 . Montoya-Lewis sworn in as Washington's first Native American Supreme Court justice . Washington Post .
30. Web site: September 20, 2021 . Judge Kuljinder Dhillon . King County.
31. Book: Congress. Congressional Record: Bound Volumes. 2015-04-27. INIAP Archivo Historico. en.
32. Web site: Taiwanese-born lawyer is first Asian American federal judge in Washington state. 2022-01-27. www.yahoo.com. en-US.
33. Lin is the district's first Asian American Article III judge.
34. Web site: Syed. Maleeha. WA's new federal judges signify reversal of Trump-era influence Crosscut. 2022-02-23. crosscut.com. en.
35. Web site: Washington's Attorneys General - Past and Present Washington State. www.atg.wa.gov. en. 2018-11-19.
36. Book: Newell, Gordon R.. Rogues, Buffoons & Statesmen. 1975. Hangman Press. 978-0-87564-106-5. en.
37. News: Jenny Durkan elected mayor of Seattle, first woman to hold the office since 1926. 2017-11-09. Q13 FOX News. 2018-05-30. en-US.
38. Web site: Syed . Maleeha . WA's new federal judges signify reversal of Trump-era influence Crosscut . 2022-04-14 . crosscut.com . en.
39. Web site: Quadriplegic An Inspiration To All She Meets The Spokesman-Review . 2019-06-28 . www.spokesman.com.
40. News: 1999-05-28 . Obituaries . en-US . Los Angeles Times . 2019-06-28 . 0458-3035.
41. Web site: Obituaries in the News . 2019-06-28 . AP NEWS.
42. Web site: Judge J. Ben McInturff . Washington State Court of Appeals.
43. Web site: "Reba" Hurn: Spokane's First Female Lawyer – Nostalgia Magazine. www.nostalgiamagazine.net. en-US. 2018-10-05.
44. News: Landmarks: Monument dedicated to Rebecca Hurn, Spokane's first female lawyer, state's first female senator. Spokesman.com. 2018-10-05. en.
45. Book: Madam President, Revised Edition: Women Blazing the Leadership Trail. Clift. Eleanor. Brazaitis. Tom. 2016-05-06. Routledge. 9781136705243. en.
46. News: Laurie Jinkins: breaking the lesbian barrier in the Washington state legislature - Shadowproof. 2010-10-30. Shadowproof. 2018-06-08. en-US.
47. Web site: Celebrating Women's History Month in Washington. 2016-03-15. en. 2019-01-03.
48. Book: The Daily Colonist (1979-05-12). 1979. University of Victoria.
49. Web site: Gov. Inslee appoints first female African American judge in Eastern Washington to Spokane County Superior Court The Spokesman-Review. www.spokesman.com. 2019-04-12.
50. Web site: Benton-County judge, Wenatchee lawyer pegged for Shea replacement . 2018-12-24 . tri-cityherald . en.
51. Web site: Herald . Kristin M. KraemerTri-City . Tri-Cities court gets its first Latina judge . 2022-02-20 . The Wenatchee World . en.
52. Web site: Carol Wardell, Chelan PUD Attorney retiring, ready to 'take on new challenges' Cashmere Valley Record . 2018-12-24 . www.cashmerevalleyrecord.com . en.
53. Web site: Gentzler . Sara . October 1, 2020 . Carol Fuller, first female superior court judge for Mason and Thurston counties, dies at 90 . The Olympian.
54. Web site: PTHS students quiz Supreme Court justice. Port Townsend Leader. en. 2018-12-24.
55. Web site: Port Angeles attorney becomes Clallam Superior Court's first female judge. Gottlieb. Paul. 2019-01-08. Peninsula Daily News. en-US. 2019-01-09.
56. Web site: Johnson, Clark County's first woman judge, to retire. 2014-12-17. The Columbian. en. 2018-12-24.
57. Web site: Women rule: Recent additions make Clark County Superior Court better reflect community. 2022-02-05. The Columbian. en-US.
58. News: Court swears in first female judge. Jenkins. Don. Longview Daily News. 2018-01-06. en.
59. Web site: Washington Association Meets in Houghton Church. mail.kccucc.org. 2019-07-10.
60. News: State gets its first Latino federal judge. seattlepi.com. 2018-05-30.
61. Web site: Judge Leah Taguba . King County District Court.
62. Book: The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography: Being the History of the United States as Illustrated in the Lives of the Founders, Builders, and Defenders of the Republic, and of the Men and Women who are Doing the Work and Moulding the Thought of the Present Time . 1893 . J. T. White Company . 293 . en . Leila Robinson Sawtelle seattle washington lawyer..
63. Web site: Ross . Deb . Westhillsyde (Allen/Beals House) Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum . 2019-07-10 . en-US.
64. Web site: Marcine Anderson (King County, Washington). info.kingcounty.gov. 2018-12-10.
65. Web site: Mission & History. www.kcba.org. 2019-01-06.
66. Web site: Binion. Andrew. Flood makes Bremerton and Kitsap County history with election to city court. 2022-01-24. Kitsap Sun. en-US.
67. Web site: WASHINGTON - Kittitas County - Miscellaneous Obituaries. Cribbs. Bill. www.genealogybuff.com. 2017-10-15.
68. News: O'Rourke Sworn in as First Female Judge in Lewis County. Johnson. Natalie. January 10, 2017. The Chronicle. 2018-01-06. en.
69. Web site: Pierce County deputy prosecutor to lead local bar association, hopes to diversify group. thenewstribune. en. 2019-01-07.
70. Web site: Mary Robnett, Pierce County's first woman prosecutor, sworn in to standing ovation. thenewstribune. en. 2019-06-27.
71. News: Kathryn Trumbull, first woman on county Superior Court, dies HeraldNet.com. 2017-03-24. HeraldNet.com. 2018-01-04. en-US.
72. Web site: Lawyer Kathleen Taft dies The Spokesman-Review. www.spokesman.com. 2019-07-16.
73. Book: Washington State Bar News. 1996. Washington State Bar Association. en.
74. Web site: Raising the bar The Spokesman-Review. www.spokesman.com. 2019-07-16.
75. News: First female judge in Spokane County Superior Court retiring this week. Spokesman.com. 2018-01-04. en.
76. Web site: Denkmann . Libby . Cowan . Alec . Burrows . Jason . 2022-12-28 . Sound it Out: . 2023-04-12 . www.kuow.org . en.
77. Book: Gillmore, Inez Haynes. Angels and Amazons: A Hundred Years of American Women. 1933. Doubleday, Doran, Incorporated. en.
78. Web site: People in Public Service: Sally Eke. Crooks. Jennifer. 2019-05-19. ThurstonTalk. en-US. 2019-07-10.
79. Book: Washington State Bar News. 1988. Washington State Bar Association.. en.
80. News: Sandy Flores '08 is first Latina lawyer sworn into the bar in Walla Walla. 2012-12-03. Whitman College. 2017-10-15. en.
81. Web site: July 9, 2010 . Elizabeth M. Balas . 2024-04-12 . infoweb.newsbank.com.
82. News: Whatcom County's first Native American judge to be sworn in Friday. bellinghamherald. 2018-01-23. en.
83. News: Native American to be sworn in as Whatcom County judge. The Washington Times. 2018-01-23. en-US.
84. Web site: Herald-Republic. JANELLE RETKA Yakima. Rodriguez True becomes 1st Latino to serve as Yakima County Superior Court commissioner. 2022-02-22. Yakima Herald-Republic. en.
85. Web site: MEYERS . DONALD W. . Sonia Rodriguez True formally sworn in as 1st Latina Yakima Superior Court judge . 2022-11-23 . Yakima Herald-Republic . en.