List of first women lawyers and judges in Texas

This is a list of the first women lawyer(s) and judge(s) in Texas. 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 obtain a law degree or become a political figure.

Firsts in state history

Hortense Sparks Ward: First female lawyer in Texas (1910)

Harriet Mitchell Murphy: First African American female judge in Texas (1973)

Eva Guzman: First Hispanic female Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas (2009)

Lawyers

• Edith W. Locke (1902):[1][2] First female admitted to practice law in Texas, though she did not exercise the right
• Hortense Sparks Ward (1910):[3][4] First female lawyer in Texas, as well as the first female admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court (1915)
• Florence Bates (1914):[5] One of the first female lawyers in Texas. She would leave the profession and become a Hollywood actress later in life.
• Beverly Tarpley (1952):[6][7][8] First female lawyer in Texas to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court
• Charlye O. Farris (1953):[9] First African American female lawyer in Texas
• Edna Cisneros (1955):[10][11] First Hispanic American female lawyer in Texas[12]

Judges

• Sarah T. Hughes (1922):[13] First female judge in Texas (1935)[14]
• Charlye O. Farris (1953):[9] First African American female to serve as a judge pro tem in Texas (1954)
• Harriet Mitchell Murphy (1969):[15][16][17] First African American female judge in Texas (1973)
• Barbara Hartle:[18] First openly LGBT female judge in Texas (2006)
• Phyllis Frye (1981):[19][20] First openly LGBT judge in Texas (2010)

County Court

• Mary Velma Davenport:[21] First female county judge in Texas (c. 1938)
• Charlye O. Farris (1953):[9] First African American female elected as a county judge pro tem in Texas (1954)
• Alicia Chacón:[22][23] First Latino American female elected as a judge of a major county in Texas (c. 1990s)

Municipal Court

• Barbara Hartle:[18] First openly LGBT female to become a municipal court judge in Texas (2006)
• Phyllis Frye (1981):[19][20] First openly LGBT individual appointed as a municipal court judge in Texas (2010)

District Court

• Sarah T. Hughes (1922):[13] First female appointed as a Judge of the District Court in Texas (1935)
• Elma Salinas Ender (1978):[24] First Latino American female to serve as a state district court judge in Texas (1983)[25]
• Mary Roman:[26] First Latino American female elected as a state district court judge in Texas (1992)
• Kristen Hawkins (2000):[27][28] First female elected as a Judge of the Eleventh District Court in Texas (2017)
• Renee Rodriguez-Betancourt:[29][30][31] First female to become the youngest district court judge in Texas (2017)[32]

Court of Appeals

• Shirley W. Butts (1954):[33] First female appointed as Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals in Texas (1981)
• Camille Hutson–Dunn (1963):[34] First female appointed as a Justice of the First Court of Appeals in Texas (1984)
• Alice Oliver–Parrott: First female to serve as a Chief Justice in the Texas Court of Appeals (1991-1996)[35]
• Gaynelle Griffin Jones:[36][37] First African American female to serve as an appellate court judge in Texas (1992)[38]
• Linda Yanez:[39] First female to serve as a Justice of the Thirteenth Court of Appeals in Texas (1993)
• Dori Contreras:[39] First female justice appointed as the Chief Justice of the Thirteenth Court of Appeals in Texas (2019)[40]
• Frances Bourliot:[41] First Asian American female elected as an appellate court judge in Texas (2020)[42]

Criminal Court of Appeals

• Sharon Keller (1978):[43] First female to serve as the Presiding Judge of the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals (2000)
• Elsa Alcala:[43] First Latino American female to serve as a Judge of the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals (2011)

Supreme Court

• Margaret Harris Amsler (1937):[44] First female to serve as the Marshall of the Supreme Court of Texas (1941)
• Ruby Kless Sondock (1961):[45] First female appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas (1982)
• Rose Spector:[46] First female elected as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas (1992)
• Eva Guzman:[47] First Hispanic female appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas (2009)

District Court

• Sarah T. Hughes (1922):[13] First female appointed as a Judge of the Federal District Court (1961) in Texas
• Barbara M.G. Lynn (1976):[48] First female to become the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (2016)
• Gabrielle Kirk McDonald:[7] First African American female appointed as a Judge of the Southern District of Texas (1979)
• Hilda G. Tagle:[49][50] First Hispanic American female to serve as an appellate judge in Texas[51]
• Alia Moses (1986):[52] First female as a Judge of the U.S. States District Court for the Western District of Texas (2002)
• Brenda T. Rhoades:[53][54] First Asian American (female) to serve as a Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Texas (2003)
• Judith K. Guthrie:[55] First female appointed as a Magistrate Judge of the U.S. States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• Karen Gren Scholer:[56] First Asian American (female) U.S. district court judge in Texas (2018)

Court of Appeals

• Leanne Johnson:[57] First female elected to serve as a Justice of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for Texas (2014)

Deputy Attorney General

• Elizabeth B. Lacy:[58] First female to serve as the Deputy Attorney General for Texas (1973)

Assistant Attorney General

• Ethel F. Hilton:[59][60] First female to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for Texas (1927-1931)

District Attorney

• Bonnie Leggat Hagan:[61] First female to become a District Attorney in Texas
• Edna Cisneros (1955):[10][11] First Hispanic American female to become a District Attorney in Texas

Assistant District Attorney

• Sarah Menezes:[62][63] First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Texas

United States Attorney

• Gaynelle Griffin Jones:[36][37] First female (and African American female) to serve as a U.S. Attorney for Texas (1993-1997)

County Attorney

• Nellie Gray Robertson:[64][65] First female to serve as a County Attorney in Texas (1918)

Political Office

• Barbara Jordan (1959):[66] First African American female lawyer elected to the Texas Senate (1966)
• Irma L. Rangel (1969):[67][68] First Hispanic American female elected to the Texas State Legislature (1976)
• Sylvia Garcia (1978) and Veronica Escobar:[69][70] First Hispanic American females (both former judges) elected to Congress in Texas (2018)
• Nandita Berry (1995):[46] First Indian American female (and Indian American in general; a lawyer) to serve as the Secretary of State for Texas (c. 2014)

Bar Association

• Harriet Miers (1970):[71] First female to serve as President of the State Bar of Texas (1992)
• Lisa Tatum:[72] First African American female (and African American in general) to serve as the President of the State Bar of Texas (2013-2014)

Firsts in local history

Alphabetized by county name

Region

• Leticia Hinojosa:[39] First female judge in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas (1996)
• Ginger Fagan:[73] First female county judge elected in South Texas

Anderson County

• Allyson Mitchell:[74] First female District Attorney for Anderson County, Texas (2015)

Andrews County

• Jeneane Anderegg:[75] First female to serve as Commissioner for the Commissioners' Court of Andrews County, Texas (2014)

Aransas County

• Lola L. Bonner:[76] First female to serve as the President of the Aransas County Bar Association, Texas

Austin County

• Carolyn Bilski:[77] First female to serve as the County Judge of Austin County, Texas

Bastrop County

• Emma Webb (1923):[78] First female lawyer in Bastrop County, Texas

Bee County

• Stephanie Moreno:[79] First female county judge in Bee County, Texas

Bell County

• Martha Trudo:[80] First female judge in Bell County, Texas
• Ebony Todd:[81] First African American female to serve as a municipal court judge in Nolanville, Texas (2020) [Bell County, Texas]

Bexar County

• Irene Gertrude Brown (1911):[82] First female lawyer in San Antonio, Texas [Bexar County, Texas]
• Lanette Heilbron Glasscock (1931):[83] One of the first practicing female lawyers in Bexar County, Texas
• Janice S. McCoy:[84] First female to serve as a Judge of the San Antonio Municipal Court (1977) [Bexar County, Texas]
• Mary Roman:[26] First Latino American female elected as a state district court judge in Bexar County, Texas (1992)
• Susan Reed:[85][86] First female to serve as the District Attorney for Bexar County, Texas (1998)
• Jane Macon:[87] First female to serve as the City Attorney for San Antonio, Texas (1977-1983) [Bexar County, Texas]
• Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez:[88] First openly LGBT (female) judge in Bexar County, Texas (2019)

Bowie County

• Kelley Crisp:[89] First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney for Bowie County, Texas (2019)

Brazoria County

• Jerri Lee Mills:[90] First female judge in Brazoria County, Texas (1995)
• Erum Jivani-Gillani:[91] First Asian American female to serve as a Judge of the Pearland Municipal Court (2018) [Brazoria, Fort Bend and Harris Counties, Texas]

Brewster County

• Val Beard:[92] First female county judge in Brewster County, Texas

Brooks County

• Imelda Barrera:[93] First female county judge in Brooks County, Texas

Burnet County

• Ophelia "Birdie" Harwood:[94] First female judge in Marble Falls, Texas (1936) [Burnet County, Texas]
• Donna Klaeger:[95] First female judge in Burnet County, Texas

Caldwell County

• Rebecca Hawener:[96] First female county judge in Caldwell County, Texas

Cameron County

• Migdalia Lopez:[97] 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:[98] First female to serve as a Judge of the 76th Judicial District (2019) [Camp, Morris and Titus Counties, Texas]

Cass County

• Courtney Shelton:[99] First female District Attorney for Cass County, Texas (2018)

Chambers County

• Alma Lois Turner:[100] First female county judge in Chambers County, Texas (1978-1986)

Comal County

• Jennifer Tharp:[101] First female District Attorney for Comal County, Texas (2011)

Dallas County

• Louise Raggio (c. 1939):[102] First female prosecutor in Dallas County, Texas
• Lillian Brock:[103] First female lawyer in Dallas, Texas [Dallas County, Texas]
• Adelfa B. Callejo: (1961)[104] First Hispanic American female lawyer in Dallas, Texas [Dallas County, Texas]
• Harriet Miers (1970):[71] First female to serve as President of the Dallas Bar Association, Texas (1986)
• Laura Benitez Geisler:[105] First Hispanic American female (and Hispanic American in general) to serve as the President of the Dallas Bar Association, Texas (2018)
• Joan Winn:[106][107][108] First African American female judge in Dallas, Texas (1975) [Dallas County, Texas]
• Margaret Keliher:[109] First female to serve as the Dallas County Judge, Texas (2002-2006)
• Susan Hawk:[110] First female District Attorney for Dallas County, Texas (2015-2016)
• Faith Johnson:[111] First African American female District Attorney for Dallas County, Texas (2016)
• Audrey Moorehead:[112] First female (and African American female) elected as the Judge of Dallas County Criminal Court #3 in Texas (2018)

Delta County

• Ginny Phifer:[113] First female Justice of the Peace in Delta County, Texas

Denton County

• Mary Horn:[114] First female county judge in Denton County, Texas

Ector County

• Sara Kate Billingsley:[115] First female district judge in Ector County, Texas (2015)

El Paso County

• Edith Shirley Abbott:[116] First female lawyer in El Paso, Texas [El Paso County, Texas]
• Edelmira Navarro:[116] Reputed to be the first Latino American female lawyer in El Paso, Texas [El Paso County, Texas]
• Kitty Schild (1972) and Janet Reusch:[116][117] First female judges in El Paso, Texas [El Paso County, Texas]
• Maxine Shaprow (1979):[116] First African American female Assistant District Attorney for El Paso, Texas [El Paso County, Texas]

Ellis County

• Barbara Warren:[118] First female (and African American) judge in Waxahachie, Texas [Ellis County, Texas]

Erath County

• Lanelle Harbin:[119] First female judge in Erath County, Texas (1961)

Falls County

• Nita Wuebker:[120] First female to serve on the Falls County Commissioners Court (2015)

Fannin County

• Mildred Eileen Cox:[121] First female county judge in Fannin County, Texas

Fort Bend County

• Hortense Sparks Ward (1910):[3][4] First female lawyer in Houston, Texas [Fort Bend County, Harris County and Montgomery County]
• Lois L. Woods:[7] First African American female graduate from the Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law (1951) [Fort Bend County, Harris County and Montgomery County]
• Kathleen Lindsey:[122][123] First female lawyer in Fort Bend County, Texas
• Toni Wallace:[124] First African American female judge in Fort Bend County, Texas (2016)
• Juli Mathew:[125] First female of South Asian descent to serve as a judge in Fort Bend County, Texas (2018)
• Kristen Brauchle Hawkins:[126] First female appointed as a Judge of the Eleventh District Court in Houston, Texas (2019) [Fort Bend County, Harris County and Montgomery County]
• Erum Jivani-Gillani:[91] First Asian American female to serve as a Judge of the Pearland Municipal Court (2018) [Brazoria, Fort Bend and Harris Counties, Texas]

Galveston County

• Susan P. Baker:[127] First female judge in Galveston County, Texas

Gray County

• Rosa Jane White:[128] First female lawyer to try a case in Pampa, Texas [Gray County, Texas]

Gregg County

• Olga Lapin:[129] First female lawyer in Gregg County, Texas

Grimes County

• Andria Bender:[130] First female District Attorney for Grimes County, Texas (2017)

Guadalupe County

• Elizabeth Jandt:[131] First female lawyer in Guadalupe County, Texas. She was also the first female elected as the County Attorney.

Harris County

• Hortense Sparks Ward (1910):[3][4] First female lawyer in Houston, Texas [Fort Bend County, Harris County and Montgomery County]
• Hannah Chow:[7][132] First Asian American female (and Asian American in general) to serve as a Judge of the Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 5 (1987)
• Phyllis Frye (1981):[19][20] First openly LGBT individual to serve as a Judge of the Houston Municipal Court in Texas (2010)
• Pat Lykos:[133] First female District Attorney for Harris County, Texas (2009)
• Debra Ibarra Mayfield:[28][134][135] First Latino American female to serve as a county court judge in Harris County, Texas (2011)
• Lina Hidalgo:[136][137] First female (and Hispanic woman of Colombian descent) elected as the Harris County Judge (2018)
• Shannon Baldwin:[138] First openly LGBT African American female judge in Harris County, Texas (2018)
• Lois L. Woods:[7] First African American female graduate from the Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law (1951) [Fort Bend County, Harris County and Montgomery County]
• Joyce M. Burg (1926):[139] First female lawyer in Houston, Texas [Harris County, Texas]
• Barbara Hartle:[18] First openly LGBT female to serve as a Judge of the Houston Municipal Court in Texas (2006)
• Kristen Brauchle Hawkins:[126] First female appointed as a Judge of the Eleventh District Court in Houston, Texas (2019) [Fort Bend County, Harris County and Montgomery County]
• Sherry D. Tavel:[140] First female municipal judge in Pasadena, Texas [Harris County, Texas]
• Erum Jivani-Gillani:[91] First Asian American female to serve as a Judge of the Pearland Municipal Court (2018) [Brazoria, Fort Bend and Harris Counties, Texas]

Hays County

• Irene Gertrude Brown (1911) and Rose Zelosky:[141] First females to graduate with a law degree from the University of Texas (1914) [Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties, Texas]

Hidalgo County

• Micaela Alvarez (1989):[142] First female (and Hispanic woman) appointed as a Judge of the 139th Judicial District Court in Hidalgo County, Texas (1995). She would later become a district court judge.
• Renee Rodriguez-Betancourt:[29][30][31] First female to become the youngest district court judge in Hidalgo County, Texas (2017)

Hood County

• Nellie Gray Robertson:[64][65] First female to serve as the Hood County Attorney (1918)
• Linda Steen:[143] First female county judge in Hood County, Texas (1999)

Hudspeth County

• Becky Dean:[144] First female judge in Hudspeth County, Texas

Hunt County

• Keli Aiken:[145] First female elected to serve as a district court judge in Hunt County, Texas

Jefferson County

• Lindsey Scott:[146] First female to become a state district judge in Jefferson County, Texas (2014)

Jones County

• Beverly Tarpley (1952):[6][7][8] First female to serve as the President of the Abilene Bar Association [Jones and Taylor Counties, Texas]

Karnes County

• Barbara Shaw:[147] First female county judge in Karnes County, Texas (c. 2010)
• Audrey Gossett-Louis:[148] First female to serve as the District Attorney for the 281st Judicial District [Karnes County, Texas]

Kaufman County

• Maxine Darst Flatt (1976):[149] First female lawyer in Kaufman County, Texas. She would later become a judge.

Liberty County

• Lois Marie Jett:[150] First female to earn a law degree in Liberty County, Texas
• Peggy Dunn:[151] First female elected judge in Liberty County, Texas (2007)

Llano County

• Mary S. Cunningham:[95] First female judge in Llano County, Texas (2014)

Lubbock County

• Emma K. Boone (1918):[152] First female lawyer in Lubbock County, Texas
• Pat Moore (1949):[153] First female lawyer elected to public office in Lubbock County, Texas (upon becoming a Judge of Lubbock County Court at Law, Number 2 in Lubbock, Texas; 1957). She is also the first female appointed as a Judge of the 72nd District Court.
• Aurora Chaides Hernandez (1995):[154] First Hispanic American female to serve as Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace (1994) in Lubbock, Texas [Lubbock County, Texas]

McLennan County

• Margaret Harris Amsler (1937):[44] First female to graduate from Baylor Law School [McLennan County, Texas]

Medina County

• Francis C. Richter (1938):[155] First female lawyer in Medina County, Texas

Midland County

• Barbara Culver:[156] First female judge in Midland County, Texas (1962)
• Teresa Clingman:[157] First female District Attorney for Midland County, Texas

Montague County

• Stacy Gamblin:[158] First female to serve as a Commissioner in Montague County, Texas

Montgomery County

• Hortense Sparks Ward (1910):[3][4] First female lawyer in Houston, Texas [Fort Bend County, Harris County and Montgomery County]
• Lois L. Woods:[7] First African American female graduate from the Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law (1951) [Fort Bend County, Harris County and Montgomery County]
• Barbara Hale (1982):[159] First female to become the Assistant County Attorney for Montgomery County, Texas (1982-1989)
• Kristen Brauchle Hawkins:[126] First female appointed as a Judge of the Eleventh District Court in Houston, Texas (2019) [Fort Bend County, Harris County and Montgomery County]

Morris County

• Lynda Munkres:[160] First female judge in Morris County, Texas (2011)
• Angela Saucier:[98] First female to serve as a Judge of the 76th Judicial District (2019) [Camp, Morris and Titus Counties, Texas]

Nacogdoches County

• Sue Kennedy:[161] First female judge in Nacogdoches County, Texas

Newton County

• Leona Jones Choate:[162] First female Justice of the Peace in Newton County, Texas (1974)

Nueces County

• Rene Haas:[163] First female judge in Nueces County, Texas (1982)
• Hilda G. Tagle:[49] First Hispanic American female judge in Nueces County, Texas (1985)
• Barbara Canales:[164][165] First female (and Hispanic American female) elected as a judge in Nueces County, Texas (2019)
• Irma L. Rangel (1969):[67][68] First female (and Hispanic American) to serve as the Assistant District Attorney for Corpus Christi, Texas [Nueces County, Texas]

Orange County

• Courtney Arkeen:[166] First female state district judge in Orange County, Texas (2011)

Panola County

• Lee Ann Jones: First female county judge in Panola County, Texas (2014)

Potter County

• Nancy Tanner:[167] First female judge in Potter County, Texas

Presidio County

• Cinderela Guevara:[168] First female county judge in Presidio County, Texas

Real County

• Bella Rubio:[169] First female county judge in Real County, Texas (2018)

Rockwall County

• Lorie Grinnan:[170] First female to be re-elected as a Commissioner for Rockwall County, Texas

San Patricio County

• Tamara Cochran-May:[171] First female to serve as the County Attorney for San Patricio County, Texas (2016)

Shackelford County

• Joanne Fincher:[172] First female judge in Shackelford County, Texas (1977)

Shelby County

• Allison Harbison:[173] First female judge in Shelby County, Texas (c. 2015)

Smith County

• Ruth Blake (1966):[174] First female judge in Smith County, Texas
• Ruth Yeager:[55] First female to serve as the President of the Smith County Bar Association, Texas

Tarrant County

• Shirley W. Butts (1954):[33] First female Assistant District Attorney in Tarrant County, Texas
• Brooke Allen:[175] First female probate court judge in Tarrant County, Texas
• Dionne Phillips Bagsby:[176] First African American female elected to the Tarrant County Commissioners Court (1988)
• Sharen Wilson:[177] First female District Attorney for Tarrant County, Texas (c. 2017)

Taylor County

• Beverly Tarpley (1952):[6][7][8] First female to serve as the President of the Abilene Bar Association [Jones and Taylor Counties, Texas]

Titus County

• Angela Saucier:[98] First female to serve as a Judge of the 76th Judicial District (2019) [Camp, Morris and Titus Counties, Texas]

Tom Green County

• Marilyn Aboussie (1974):[178] First female district judge in Tom Green County, Texas
• Barbara Walther:[179] First female elected as a Judge of the 51st District Court in Tom Green County, Texas (1992)

Travis County

• Irene Gertrude Brown (1911) and Rose Zelosky:[141] First females to graduate with a law degree from the University of Texas (1914) [Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties, Texas]
• Anna Sandbo:[180] First female lawyer in Austin, Texas [Travis County, Texas]
• Sarah Eckhardt (1998):[181] First female judge in Travis County, Texas (2015)
• Julie Kocurek:[182] First female district court judge in Travis County, Texas (1999)
• Rosemary Lehmberg:[183] First female District Attorney for Travis County, Texas (2009)
• Dimple Malhotra:[184] First female of South Asian descent to serve as a judge in Travis County, Texas (2019)

Upshur County

• Lauren Parish:[185] First female judge in Upshur County, Texas (c. 1994)

Upton County

• Peggy Garner:[186] First female judge in Upton County, Texas (1974)

Van Zandt County

• Teresa Drum:[187] First female to serve as a Judge of the 294th District Court in Van Zandt County, Texas

Webb County

• Elma Salinas Ender:[188] First Latino American female to serve as a Judge of the 341st Judicial District of Texas (1983) [Webb County, Texas]

Wichita County

• Charlye O. Farris (1953):[9] First female lawyer (and African American female) to practice law in Wichita County, Texas
• Pat Norriss:[189] First female to serve on the commissioner’s court in Wichita County, Texas

Willacy County

• Migdalia Lopez:[97] First female to serve as a District Court Judge in Cameron and Willacy Counties, Texas

Williamson County

• Irene Gertrude Brown (1911) and Rose Zelosky:[141] First females to graduate with a law degree from the University of Texas (1914) [Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties, Texas]
• Frances Fullerton (1932):[190] First female lawyer in Williamson County, Texas

Winkler County

• Mary Frances Clark:[191] First female judge in Winkler County, Texas (1979)

Wise County

• Mary Velma Davenport:[21] First female county judge in Wise County, Texas (c. 1938)

Zapata County

• Norma Villarreal Ramírez:[192][193] First female county judge in Zapata County, Texas (1995)

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 Texas

References

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