List Of First Women Lawyers And Judges In California
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This is a list of the first women lawyer(s) and judge(s) in
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. 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 state history


Law Degree

*
Mary McHenry Keith Mary McHenry Keith (1855-1947) was an American lawyer and social justice advocate who was especially known for her work in the woman suffrage and animal rights movements. As the widow of the artist William Keith, she also was celebrated for her ...
: First female law graduate in California (1882)


Lawyers

*
Clara Shortridge Foltz Clara Shortridge Foltz (July 16, 1849 – September 2, 1934) was an American lawyer, the first female lawyer on the West Coast, and the pioneer of the idea of the public defender. The Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles was renamed ...
(1878): First female lawyer (and notary public) in California * Christine la Barraque (c. 1906): First blind female lawyer in California * Annie Coker (1929): First African American female lawyer in California * Chiyoko Sakamoto (Takahashi) (1938): First Japanese American female lawyer in California * Emma Ping Lum (c. 1946): First Chinese American female lawyer in California *
Mary Virginia Orozco Mary Virginia Orozco was California’s first Latina female lawyer. She was also the first Latina to graduate from Loyola Law School. She was born on September 24, 1928, in Whittier, California. Her parents were adamant that their children receiv ...
(1962): First Latino American female lawyer in California * Eleanor Nisperos (1972): First Filipino American female lawyer in California * Abby Abinanti (1974): First Native American (
Yurok The Yurok (Karuk language: Yurúkvaarar / Yuru Kyara - "downriver Indian; i.e. Yurok Indian") are an Indigenous people from along the Klamath River and Pacific coast, whose homelands are located in present-day California stretching from Trinidad ...
) female lawyer in California *Norma Samra (1986): First Indian American female lawyer in California *Vanessa Pumar (2015): First undocumented female lawyer in California


State judges

* Clara Jess and Edna Jesse Keeran: First female Justices of the Peace respectively in California (1912; 1913) * Georgia Bullock (1913): First female judge in California (1924) *
Annette Abbott Adams Annette Abbott Adams (12 March 1877 – 26 October 1956) was an American lawyer and judge. She was the first woman to be the Assistant Attorney General in the United States. Biography Born Annette Grace Abbot in Prattville, California, to storek ...
(1912): First female to serve as an appellate court judge in California (upon her appointment as a Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal of the Third Appellate District in 1942) * Vaino Spencer (1952): First African American female judge in California (1961) *Ann H. Rutherford (1967): First female to serve as a judge in a rural county in California (Butte; 1976) *Margaret J. Morris (1953): First female to serve as an Associate Justice (1976) and Presiding Justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal in California (1982) *
Rose Bird Rose Elizabeth Bird (November 2, 1936 – December 4, 1999) was the 25th Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court. Her career was marked by firsts. She was the first female clerk of the Nevada Supreme Court, the first female deputy publ ...
(1966): First female to serve on the
California Supreme Court The Supreme Court of California is the highest and final court of appeals in the courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacra ...
(1977) and serve as its Chief Justice (1977) *Joan Klein (1955): First female to serve as a Presiding Justice in California (1978) * Frances Munoz (1972): First Latino American female judge in California (1978) *Joan Klein (1955): First female to serve as a Presiding Justice of the California Court of Appeal (1978) * Patricia A. Yim Cowett (1972): First Chinese American female judge in California (1979) * Arleigh M. Woods (1953): First African American female to serve on the Court of Appeals in California (1980) * Betty Barry-Deal (1955): First female to serve on the First District Court of Appeal in California (1980) * Mary C. Morgan (1972): First openly LGBT female judge in California (1981) *Lillian Sing (1975): First Chinese American female judge in California (1981) *Pauline Hanson (1946): First female to serve on the Fifth District Court of Appeal in California (1985) *Lillian Y. Lim (1977): First Filipino American female judge in California (1986) *Patricia D. Benke (1974): First female to serve on the Fourth District Court of Appeal (1987) *Shala Sabet (1985): First Iranian American female judge in California (1993) *Kathleen Akao (1982): First Asian American female elected as a judge in California (1994) *
Janice Rogers Brown Janice Rogers Brown (born May 11, 1949) is an American jurist. She served as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2005 to 2017 and before that, Associate Justice of the Cal ...
(1977): First African American female to serve on the Third District Court of Appeal in California (1994) * Abby Abinanti (1974): First Native American (
Yurok The Yurok (Karuk language: Yurúkvaarar / Yuru Kyara - "downriver Indian; i.e. Yurok Indian") are an Indigenous people from along the Klamath River and Pacific coast, whose homelands are located in present-day California stretching from Trinidad ...
) female judge in California *
Janice Rogers Brown Janice Rogers Brown (born May 11, 1949) is an American jurist. She served as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2005 to 2017 and before that, Associate Justice of the Cal ...
(1977): First African American female to serve on the
California Supreme Court The Supreme Court of California is the highest and final court of appeals in the courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacra ...
(1996) *Rosemary Pfeiffer (1977): First openly LGBT (female) to serve as a Presiding Judge in California (2000) * Tammy Chung Ryu (1987): First Korean American female judge in California (2002) * Carol Codrington (1987): First African American female to serve on the Fourth District Court of Appeal in California (2010) *Kathleen O'Leary (1975): First female to serve as the Presiding Justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal (2011) * Victoria Kolakowski (1991): First openly LGBT judge elected in California (2011) *
Tani Cantil-Sakauye Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye ( née Cantil; born October 19, 1959) is an American lawyer and jurist who was the 28th Chief Justice of California and is the president/ CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California. Nominated by Governor Arnold Sch ...
(1984): First Asian-Filipino American female to serve as the Chief Justice of the
California Supreme Court The Supreme Court of California is the highest and final court of appeals in the courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacra ...
(2011) *Rupa Goswami (1998): First South Asian American female judge in California (2013) *Therese M. Stewart (1982): First openly LGBT female to serve on the California Court of Appeal (2014) *Carin T. Fujisaki (1985): First Asian-Pacific Islander female to serve on the First District Court of Appeal in California (2018) *Marsha G. Slough (1987): First openly LGBT female to serve on the Fourth District Court of Appeal (2015) *Dorothy Kim (2000): First Korean American (female) to serve on the Second District Court of Appeal in California (2018) *Teri L. Jackson (1981): First African American female to serve on the First District Court of Appeal in California (2020) *Truc T. Do (1997): First Asian American (female of Vietnamese descent) to serve on the Fourth District Court of Appeal in California (2020) *Andi Mudryk: First openly LGBT judge appointed in California (2022) *Laurie Earl: First openly LGBT female to serve on the Third District Court of Appeal in California (2022) *
Patricia Guerrero Patricia Guerrero (born 1971/1972) is an American judge serving as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California since March 2022. Guerrero was previously an associate justice of the California Court of Appeal for the Fourth District, D ...
: First Latino American female to serve on the
California Supreme Court The Supreme Court of California is the highest and final court of appeals in the courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacra ...
(2022) and its Chief Justice (2023) * Pahoua C. Lor (2009): First Hmong American female appointed to serve as judge in California (2022) *
Kelli Evans Kelli Evans (born July 9, 1968) is an American lawyer who serves as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California. She previously served as a judge of the Alameda County Superior Court. Education Evans received a Bachelor of Arts fro ...
: First openly (African American) lesbian to serve on the
California Supreme Court The Supreme Court of California is the highest and final court of appeals in the courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacra ...
(2022)


Federal judges

*
Shirley Hufstedler Shirley Ann Mount Hufstedler (August 24, 1925 – March 30, 2016) was an American attorney and judge who served as the first United States secretary of education from 1979 to 1981. She previously served as a United States circuit judge of the Uni ...
(1950): First female to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1968) * Mariana Pfaelzer (1957): First female to serve on the
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California The United States District Court for the Central District of California (in case citations, C.D. Cal.; commonly referred to as the CDCA or CACD) is a Federal trial court that serves over 19 million people in Southern and Central California, m ...
(1978) *
Saundra Brown Armstrong Saundra Brown Armstrong (born March 23, 1947) is a Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Education and career Born in Oakland, California, Armstrong received an Associat ...
(1977): First African American female to serve on the
United States District Court for the Northern District of California The United States District Court for the Northern District of California (in case citations, N.D. Cal.) is the federal United States district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties of California: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del ...
(1991) *Erithe M. Smith (1983): First African American female to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Court (1994) *
Marilyn Hall Patel Marilyn Hall Patel (born 1938) is a former United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Patel is Indian-American, hailing from the famous Mumbai Patel famil ...
(1963): First female to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (1980) and its Chief Judge (1997) *
Kim McLane Wardlaw Kim McLane Wardlaw (born July 2, 1954) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as a U.S. circuit judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit since 1998. She is the first Hispanic American woman to be appointed to a federal appeals ...
(1979): First Hispanic American female to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1998) *
Consuelo B. Marshall Consuelo Bland Marshall (born September 28, 1936) is a Senior status, senior United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Education and career Born in Knoxv ...
(1962): First female (and African American female) to serve as the Chief Judge of the
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California The United States District Court for the Central District of California (in case citations, C.D. Cal.; commonly referred to as the CDCA or CACD) is a Federal trial court that serves over 19 million people in Southern and Central California, m ...
(2001) * Audrey B. Collins (1977): First African American female judge to serve as Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (2009) * Dolly M. Gee (1984): First Chinese American female to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (2010) * Donna Ryu:Honorable Donna Ryu, Asian Pacific American Woman Lawyers Alliance, http://www.apawla.org/donnaryu First openly LGBT female to serve on the
United States District Court for the Northern District of California The United States District Court for the Northern District of California (in case citations, N.D. Cal.) is the federal United States district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties of California: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del ...
(2010). She is also the first Korean American (female) judge on the court. *
Jacqueline Nguyen Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen ( vi, Nguyễn Hồng Ngọc; born May 25, 1965) is an American lawyer who serves as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She previously served as a United States d ...
(1991): First Vietnamese American female to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California *
Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers Maria Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers (born February 1, 1965) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as a U.S. district judge of the District Court for the Northern District of California. She was previously a California state court judge on the Alamed ...
(1991): First Latino American female justice to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (2011) * Lucy H. Koh (1993): First Korean American female to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (2010) * Kimberly J. Mueller (1995): First female to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California (2010) * Phyllis J. Hamilton (1976): First African American female judge to serve as the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (2014) *
Jinsook Ohta Jinsook Ohta (née Jin Sook Lee, born 1976) is an American attorney and United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. She previously served as a judge on the San Diego County Superior C ...
: First Asian American female (who is of Korean descent) to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California (2021) * Sunshine Sykes (2002): First Native American (
Navajo The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States. With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...
) emaleto serve on the
United States District Court for the Central District of California The United States District Court for the Central District of California (in case citations, C.D. Cal.; commonly referred to as the CDCA or CACD) is a Federal trial court that serves over 19 million people in Southern and Central California, m ...
(2022) *
Holly A. Thomas Holly Aiyisha Thomas (born 1979) is an American attorney serving as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She previously served as a judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 2018 to ...
(2004): First African American female to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (2022) *
Ana de Alba Ana Isabel de Alba (born 1979) is an American attorney who serves as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She previously served as a United States district judge of the United States Distri ...
: First Latino American female to serve as the Judge of the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of California The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California (in case citations, E.D. Cal.) is a federal court in the Ninth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appeal ...
(2022) *
Roopali Desai Roopali Hardin Desai (born 1978) is a Canadian-American lawyer and jurist from Arizona who serves as a United States federal judge, United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Education Desai was ...
: First South Asian (female) to serve as a Judge of the
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * District ...
(upon taking oath; confirmed 2022)


Attorney General

*
Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who is the 49th vice president of the United States. She is the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, as well ...
(1989): First (African American and Indian American) female to serve as the
Attorney General of California The attorney general of California is the state attorney general of the Government of California. The officer's duty is to ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced" (Constitution of California, Article V, Section ...
(2011-2017)


Deputy Attorney General

*
Pauli Murray Anna Pauline "Pauli" Murray (November 20, 1910 – July 1, 1985) was an American civil rights activist who became a lawyer, gender equality advocate, Episcopal priest, and author. Drawn to the ministry, in 1977 she became one of the first women ...
(1945): First African American female to serve as the Deputy Attorney General of California (1945)


Assistant Attorney General

* Doris H. Maier (1935): First female Assistant Attorney General of California (1961) * Andrea Sheridan Ordin: First female to serve as the Chief Assistant Attorney General of California (1983)


United States Attorney

*
Annette Abbott Adams Annette Abbott Adams (12 March 1877 – 26 October 1956) was an American lawyer and judge. She was the first woman to be the Assistant Attorney General in the United States. Biography Born Annette Grace Abbot in Prattville, California, to storek ...
(1912): First female to serve as a U.S. for the
Northern District of California The United States District Court for the Northern District of California (in case citations, N.D. Cal.) is the federal United States district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties of California: Alameda, Contra Costa, De ...
(1918-1920) *Andrea Ordin (1966): First female appointed as the U.S. Attorney for the
Central District of California The United States District Court for the Central District of California (in case citations, C.D. Cal.; commonly referred to as the CDCA or CACD) is a Federal trial court that serves over 19 million people in Southern and Central California, m ...
(1977) * Debra Wong Yang (1986): First Asian American female appointed as the U.S. Attorney for the
Central District of California The United States District Court for the Central District of California (in case citations, C.D. Cal.; commonly referred to as the CDCA or CACD) is a Federal trial court that serves over 19 million people in Southern and Central California, m ...
(2002-2006) * Carol Lam: First Asian American female appointed as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California (2002)


District Attorney

* June Schnacke: First female to serve as a District Attorney in California (1947) *
Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who is the 49th vice president of the United States. She is the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, as well ...
(1989): First female African American and Indian American female to become a District Attorney in California (2004-2010)


Deputy District Attorney

*
Clara Shortridge Foltz Clara Shortridge Foltz (July 16, 1849 – September 2, 1934) was an American lawyer, the first female lawyer on the West Coast, and the pioneer of the idea of the public defender. The Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles was renamed ...
(1878): First female Deputy District Attorney in California (1910) *Marion L. Obera (1962): First African American female to serve as a Deputy District Attorney in California (1963)


City Attorney

* Jayne Williams (1974): First African American female to become a City Attorney in California (1986)


Political Office

*
Roberta Achtenberg Roberta Achtenberg (born July 20, 1950) is an American attorney who served as a commissioner on the United States Commission on Civil Rights. She was previously assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, becoming ...
(1975): First openly LGBT female (a lawyer) appointment to a federal position was confirmed by the U.S. Senate (upon being appointed as the Assistant Secretary of the Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Office in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 1993) *
Sheila Kuehl Sheila James Kuehl (born February 9, 1941) is an American politician and retired actress, and served as the member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for the 3rd District and as board chair and chair pro tem. Kuehl was California's ...
(1979): First openly LGBT female member of the California legislature (1994) *
Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who is the 49th vice president of the United States. She is the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, as well ...
(1989): First female lawyer (and first African American and Indian American female) to serve as a U.S. Senator from California (2017)


Bar Association

* Joanne M. Garvey (1962): First female to serve on the State Bar of California Board of Governors (1971–1974). * Margaret Mary Morrow (1974): First female to serve as President of the State Bar of California (1993) *Karen S. Nobumoto (c. 1989): First female of color (African/Asian American descent) to serve as the President of the State Bar of California (2001) *Holly Fujie (1978): First Asian American (female) to serve as the President of the State Bar of California (2008-2009)


Firsts in local history


Northern California

* Lillian Sing (1975): First Chinese American female judge in
Northern California Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...
(1981)


Alameda County

* Emma Marcuse: First female to graduate from the
UC Berkeley School of Law The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (commonly known as Berkeley Law or UC Berkeley School of Law) is the law school of the University of California, Berkeley, a public research university in Berkeley, California. It is one of 1 ...
(1906) * Marguerite Ogden: First female lawyer in
Alameda County, California Alameda County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,682,353, making it the 7th-most populous county in the state and 21st most populous nationally. The county seat is Oakland. Al ...
(c. 1913) *Eloise Cushing (1918): First female lawyer in Oakland, California. She served as the County Librarian for Alameda County Law Library (1910-1957) and ran for a judicial position in 1930. * Cecil Mosbacher (1934): First female judge in Alameda County, California (1951) *Jacqueline Taber (1947): First female to serve on the Oakland-Piedmont Municipal Court (1965) lameda County, California*Judith Ford (1974): First African American female judge in Alameda County, California (1983) * Phyllis J. Hamilton (1976): First African American (female) to serve as a Commissioner of the Alameda County Superior Court (1985) *Jayne Williams (1974): First African American female to become the City Attorney in Alameda County, California (1986) *Peggy Hora (1978): First female judge in Southern Alameda County, California (c. 1983) *Cecilia Castellanos (1978): First Latino American female judge in Alameda County, California (1997) *Jo-Lynne Q. Lee (1978): First Chinese American female to serve on the Alameda County Superior Court (2002) * Brenda Harbin-Forte (1979): First African American female appointed as the Presiding Judge of the Alameda County Juvenile Court (2000–2003) * Diane Bellas (1981): First female Public Defender of Alameda County, California * Nancy E. O'Malley (1983): First female to serve as the District Attorney for Alameda County, California (2009) *Margaret Fujioka (1985): First Japanese American female judge in Alameda County, California (2017) * Trina Thompson Stanley (1987): First African American female elected judge in Alameda County, California (2002) *Kimberly E. Colwell (1987): First openly LGBT female judge in Alameda County, California (2012) *Eumi K. Lee (2000): First Korean American female judge in Alameda County, California (2018). She is the first Korean American to serve on the bench.


Alpine County

* Terese Drabec (1983) and Karen Dustman (1983): First females to serve consecutively as the District Attorney for
Alpine County, California , other_name = , settlement_type = County , image_skyline = , image_flag = Flag of Alpine County, California.svg , flag_size = , image_seal = Seal of Alpine Co ...
(2010-2015; 2015-2017). Per available online sources, Colleen E. Hemingway (1992)—who served from 1996-1998—may have been the first female District Attorney for Alpine County.


Amador County

* Susan Harlan (1980): First female judge in
Amador County, California Amador County () is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California, in the Sierra Nevada. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 40,474. The county seat is Jackson, California, Jackson. Ama ...
(c. 1993)


Butte County

* Mary King (1915): First female lawyer in
Butte County, California Butte County () is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. In the 2020 census, its population was 211,632. The county seat is Oroville. Butte County comprises the Chico, CA metropolitan statistical area. It is ...
*Ann H. Rutherford (1967): First female judge in
Butte County, California Butte County () is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. In the 2020 census, its population was 211,632. The county seat is Oroville. Butte County comprises the Chico, CA metropolitan statistical area. It is ...
(1976) *Corie J. Caraway: First Asian American (female) judge in
Butte County, California Butte County () is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. In the 2020 census, its population was 211,632. The county seat is Oroville. Butte County comprises the Chico, CA metropolitan statistical area. It is ...
(2020)


Calaveras County

* Mora Murphy (1981): First female lawyer in
Calaveras County, California Calaveras County (), officially the County of Calaveras, is a county in both the Gold Country and High Sierra regions of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 45,292. The county seat is San Andreas. Angels C ...
*Barbara Yook (1996): First female District Attorney for Calaveras County, California (2010) *Traci L. Witry (2000): First female judge in Calaveras County, California (2018)


Colusa County

* Edna Jesse Keeran: First female Justice of the Peace in
Colusa County, California Colusa County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,839. The county seat is Colusa. It is in the North Valley of California, northwest of the state capital, Sacramento. History C ...
(1913) *Elizabeth “Betsy” Ufkes Olivera (1985): First female judge in Colusa County, California (2010)


Contra Costa County

* Betsy Fitzgerald Rahn (1937): First female Judge of the Walnut Creek Municipal Court (
Contra Costa County, California ) of the San Francisco Bay , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1 = State , subdivision_name1 = California , subdivision_type2 ...
; 1960s) *E. Patricia Herron (1965): First female Judge of the Superior Court of Contra Costa County, California (1977) * Bessie Dreibelbis (1962): First female Judge of the Richmond Municipal Court (Contra Costa County, California; 1970s) * Ellen James (1970): First female Judge of the Mt. Diablo Judicial District (Contra Costa County, California; 1976) *Patricia McKinley (1975): First African American female judge in Contra Costa County, California (1982) *Barbara Zuñiga (1976): First Hispanic American female judge in Contra Costa County, California (1985) *Irene Takahashi (1977): First Asian American (female) judge in Contra Costa County, California (1989) *
Diana Becton Diana Becton, also known as Diana Becton Smith (born August 16, 1951) is a former trial judge and is currently both the first woman and first African American to be elected district attorney in the history of Contra Costa County in California. ...
(1986): First female (and African American female) to serve as the District Attorney for Contra Costa County, California (2017) *Joni Hiramoto (1987): First Asian American (female) Judge of the Superior Court of Contra Costa County, California (1998)


Del Norte County

* Alyce Moseley: First female municipal court judge for Crescent City, California (1950) nowiki/>
nowiki/>Del_Norte_County,_California">Del_Norte_County,_California.html"_;"title="nowiki/>Del_Norte_County,_California">nowiki/>Del_Norte_County,_California*Chris_Doehle_(1991):_First_female_superior_court_judge_in_Del_Norte_County,_California_(2016)


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*_Jean_S._Klotz_(1972):_First_female_(lawyer)_from_El_Dorado_County,_California.html" "title="Del_Norte_County,_California.html" ;"title="Del_Norte_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Del Norte County, California">nowiki/>Del Norte County, California">Del_Norte_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Del Norte County, California">nowiki/>Del Norte County, California*Chris Doehle (1991): First female superior court judge in Del Norte County, California (2016)


El Dorado County

* Jean S. Klotz (1972): First female (lawyer) from El Dorado County, California">El Dorado County El Dorado County (), officially the County of El Dorado, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 191,185. The county seat is Placerville. The County is part of the Sacramento- Roseville-A ...
to graduate from the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California (1972) *Suzanne Kingsbury (1982): First female judge in El Dorado County, California (1996) *Dylan Sullivan: First openly LGBT (female) judge in El Dorado County, California (2014)


Glenn County

*Alicia Ekland (2007): First female to serve on the Superior Court of
Glenn County, California Glenn County is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 28,917. The county seat is Willows, California, Willows. It is located in the Sacramento Valley, in the northe ...
(2018)


Humboldt County

*Elizabeth J. Morrison (1925): First female lawyer in
Humboldt County, California Humboldt County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 136,463. The county seat is Eureka. Humboldt County comprises the Eureka–Arcata–Fortuna, California Micropolitan Statistica ...
* Marilyn B. Miles (1980): First female judge in Humboldt County, California (1998) *Maggie Fleming (1986): First female District Attorney for Humboldt County, California (2015)


Inyo County

*Peggy Noland (1962): First female to serve as the President of the
Inyo County Inyo County () is a county in the eastern central part of the U.S. state of California, located between the Sierra Nevada and the state of Nevada. In the 2020 census, the population was 19,016. The county seat is Independence. Inyo County is o ...
Bar Association in California (1972) * Susanne Rizo (2000): First female to serve on Inyo County Superior Court after election (2021)


Lake County

* Betty Irwin (1975): First female judge in
Lake County, California Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 68,163. The county seat is Lakeport. The county takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic fe ...
(1982) *Susan Krones (1984): First female District Attorney for Lake County, California (2018) *Shanda Harry (2000): First female elected as a Judge of the Lake County Superior Court, California (2018)


Lassen County

* Gladys Spencer Burroughs (1898): First female judge in
Lassen County, California Lassen County () is a county in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,730. The county seat and only incorporated city is Susanville. Lassen County comprises the Susanville, Calif ...
(1936) *Paula A. Tennant (1955): First female to serve as the District Attorney for
Lassen County, California Lassen County () is a county in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,730. The county seat and only incorporated city is Susanville. Lassen County comprises the Susanville, Calif ...
(c. 1959) *Michele Verderosa (1996): First female (who later became a judge) to open a law practice in Susanville (2000) assen County, California


Marin County

* Genevieve Martinelli (1915): First female prosecutor in
Marin County, California Marin County is a County (United States), county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat and ...
(1919) *Beverly Savitt (1967) and Lynn O'Malley Taylor (1972): First female judges in Marin County, California (1983) *Paula Kamena (1982): First female District Attorney for Marin County, California (1999) *Ann Diamond (1937): First female lawyer to serve as President of the Marin County Bar Association (1975) *Dorothy Chou Proudfoot: First Asian American (female) to serve as the President of the Marin County Bar Association (2017)


Mendocino County

*
Laura Scudder Laura Clough Scudder (July 19, 1881 – March 13, 1959) was an entrepreneur in Monterey Park, California, who made and sold potato chips and pioneered their packaging in sealed bags to extend freshness. Biography Born in 1881, in Philadelphi ...
(1918): First female lawyer in Ukiah, California nowiki/>
nowiki/>Mendocino_County,_California">Mendocino_County,_California.html"_;"title="nowiki/>Mendocino_County,_California">nowiki/>Mendocino_County,_California*Cindee_F._Mayfield_(1984):_First_female_judge_in_Mendocino_County,_California_(1998)


__Modoc_County_

*_Annette_Abbott_Adams_ Annette_Abbott_Adams_(12_March_1877_–_26_October_1956)_was_an_American_lawyer_and_judge._She_was_the_first_woman_to_be_the_Assistant_Attorney_General_in_the_United_States. _Biography Born_Annette_Grace_Abbot_in__Prattville,_California,_to_storek_...
_(1912):_One_of_the_first_females_(who_later_became_a_lawyer_and_a_judge)_to_serve_as_a_school_principal_in_California_[upon_becoming_the_Principal_of_Modoc_County,_California.html" "title="Mendocino_County,_California.html" ;"title="Mendocino_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Mendocino County, California">nowiki/>Mendocino County, California">Mendocino_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Mendocino County, California">nowiki/>Mendocino County, California*Cindee F. Mayfield (1984): First female judge in Mendocino County, California (1998)


Modoc County

*
Annette Abbott Adams Annette Abbott Adams (12 March 1877 – 26 October 1956) was an American lawyer and judge. She was the first woman to be the Assistant Attorney General in the United States. Biography Born Annette Grace Abbot in Prattville, California, to storek ...
(1912): One of the first females (who later became a lawyer and a judge) to serve as a school principal in California [upon becoming the Principal of Modoc County, California">Modoc County Modoc County () is a county in the far northeast corner of the U.S. state of California. Its population is 8,700 as of the 2020 census, down from 9,686 from the 2010 census. This makes it California's third-least populous county. The county seat ...
High School in 1907]


Mono County

* In 2018, Therese M. Hankel, Esq. (1994) launched a campaign to become the first female judge in Mono County, California. She lost the election.


Napa County

* Elizabeth "Babe" King Robinson: First female lawyer in Napa, California nowiki/>Napa_County,_California.html" ;"title="Napa_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Napa County, California">nowiki/>Napa County, California">Napa_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Napa County, California">nowiki/>Napa County, California(1950s) * Francisca P. Tisher (1980): First female judge in Napa County, California (1995) * Elia Ortiz (1999): First Latino American female judge in Napa County, California (2013) *Monique Langhorne (2000): First African American female judge in Napa County, California (2019) *Allison Haley (2002): First female District Attorney for Napa County, California (2017)


Nevada County

* Karen Gunderson: First female judge in Nevada County, California (1974)


Placer County

* Frances Pearl Rains: First female Justice Court Judge in Foresthill, California [Placer County, California] *Laura Coffield: First female to serve as the President of the Placer County Bar Association (1969)


Plumas County

* Janet Hilde (1985): First female judge in
Plumas County, California Plumas County () is a county in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,790. The county seat is Quincy, and the only incorporated city is Portola. The largest community in the county is ...
(2006)


Sacramento County

* Valla E. Parkinson (1914): First female lawyer in
Sacramento County, California Sacramento County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,585,055. Its county seat is Sacramento, which has been the state capital of California since 1854. Sacramento County is the ...
*Margaret Flynn (1937): First female judge in Sacramento County, California (1964) *Virginia S. Mueller (1947): First female Deputy District Attorney for Sacramento County, California (1959-1966) *Frances Newell Carr (1948): First female to serve on the Superior Court of Sacramento, California (1975) * Alice A. Lytle (1974): First African American female judge in Sacramento County, California (1983) *Jan Scully (1978): First female District Attorney for Sacramento County, California (1994-2014) *Emily E. Vasquez (1977): First Latino American female to serve on the Superior Court of Sacramento, California (2001) *Shama H. Mesiwala (1998): First South Asian American (female) judge in Sacramento County, California (2017) *Andi Mudryk: First openly LGBT woman to serve on the
Sacramento County Superior Court The Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, alternatively called the Sacramento County Superior Court, is the California Superior Court located in Sacramento with jurisdiction over Sacramento County. Courthouses Gordon D. Schaber ...
, California (2022)


San Francisco (City and County)

*
Clara Shortridge Foltz Clara Shortridge Foltz (July 16, 1849 – September 2, 1934) was an American lawyer, the first female lawyer on the West Coast, and the pioneer of the idea of the public defender. The Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles was renamed ...
(1878): First female lawyer in
San Francisco County, California San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
*Mary Wetmore (1918) and Theresa Meikle (1919): First female judges respectively in San Francisco County, California (1930) *Tabytha Anderson (1933): First African American female lawyer in San Francisco County, California *Miriam Wolff (1940): First female (a lawyer and judge) to serve as the Director of the Port of San Francisco, California (1970) *Molly Minudri (1951): First female Deputy Public Defender for San Francisco County, California *Estella Dooley (1958): First African American female lawyer to work for the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office (c. 1970s) * Joanne M. Garvey (1962): First female to serve as the President of the Bar Association of San Francisco (1981) * Mary C. Morgan (1972): First openly LGBT female judge in San Francisco County, California (1981) *Lillian Sing (1975): First Chinese American female judge in San Francisco County, California (1981) *Teri L. Jackson (1981): First African American female to serve on the San Francisco County Superior Court (2002) *Therese Stewart (1982): First openly LGBT female to serve as the President of the Bar Association of San Francisco (1999) *Teresa Caffese: First female to serve as the Chief Attorney for the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office (2003) * Suzanne Bolanos (1989): First Latina American female judge in San Francisco County, California (2003) *
Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who is the 49th vice president of the United States. She is the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, as well ...
(1989): First female District Attorney in San Francisco County (2004-2010) *Kimiko Burton (1990): First female Public Defender for San Francisco County, California (2001) *Manjari Chawla (2001): First Indian American (female) to serve on the State Bar Court ocated in San Francisco(2018) *Vedica Puri (1995): First South Asian American (female) judge in San Francisco County, California (2019) *
Brooke Jenkins Brooke Jenkins (born 1981/1982) is an American lawyer serving as the 30th District Attorney of San Francisco. On July 8, 2022, Jenkins was appointed interim district attorney by Mayor London Breed following the successful recall of Chesa Boudin, ...
: First Latino American female to serve as the
District Attorney of San Francisco The San Francisco District Attorney's Office is the legal agency charged with prosecuting crimes in the City and County of San Francisco, California. The current district attorney is Brooke Jenkins. Occupants of this office have gone on to highe ...
(2022)


San Joaquin County

* Laura de Force Gordon: First female lawyer in
San Joaquin County, California San Joaquin County (; Spanish: ''San Joaquín'', meaning " St. Joachim"), officially the County of San Joaquin, is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 779,233. The county seat is Stockton. San Jo ...
* Priscilla Hope Haynes (1952): First female judge in San Joaquin County, California *
Consuelo María Callahan Consuelo María Callahan (born June 9, 1950) is a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Background Consuelo María Callahan was born June 9, 1950 in Palo Alto, California. She was raised in Fre ...
(1975): First Hispanic American female judge in San Joaquin County, California (1992). She would later become a circuit court judge. *Emma Souza (1980): First female lawyer in Tracy, California an Joaquin County, California*Lauren Thomasson (1989): First African American female judge in San Joaquin County, California (2005) *Tori Verber Salazar: First female District Attorney for San Joaquin County, California (2015)


San Mateo County

*Clara Jess: First female Justice of the Peace in Daly City, California (1913) nowiki/>San_Mateo_County,_California.html" ;"title="San_Mateo_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>San Mateo County, California">nowiki/>San Mateo County, California">San_Mateo_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>San Mateo County, California">nowiki/>San Mateo County, California*Margaret Kemp (1972): First female judge in San Mateo County, California (1978) *Rosemary Pfeiffer (1977): First openly LGBT (female) judge in San Mateo County, California (1991). She was also the first openly LGBT female to serve as the Presiding Judge (2000). *Nancy Ligon de Ita (1981): First Hispanic American (female) to serve as the President of the San Mateo County Bar Association (c. 2009) * Elizabeth Lee (1983): First Asian-Pacific American female judge in San Mateo County, California (2005) *Amarra A. Lee (2006): First African American female to serve on the San Mateo County Superior Court, California (2018)


Santa Clara County

*
Clara Shortridge Foltz Clara Shortridge Foltz (July 16, 1849 – September 2, 1934) was an American lawyer, the first female lawyer on the West Coast, and the pioneer of the idea of the public defender. The Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles was renamed ...
(1878): First female lawyer in Santa Clara County, California *Isabel Charles: First female Justice of the Peace in Santa Clara County, California (1917) *Miriam E. Wolff (1940): First female appointed as a municipal court judge in Santa Clara County, California (1975) * Marilyn Pestarino Zecher (1957): First female judge in Santa Clara County, California *
Rose Bird Rose Elizabeth Bird (November 2, 1936 – December 4, 1999) was the 25th Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court. Her career was marked by firsts. She was the first female clerk of the Nevada Supreme Court, the first female deputy publ ...
(1966): First female Deputy Public Defender for Santa Clara County, California (1967-1974) *
LaDoris Cordell LaDoris Hazzard Cordell is an American retired judge of the Superior Court of California and former Independent Police Auditor for the city of San Jose, California. She is an advocate for improving transparency into charges of police misconduct. ...
(1975): First African American (female) to serve on the Santa Clara County Superior Court (1988) *Rolanda Pierre Dixon: First African American (female) to serve as an Assistant District Attorney for Santa Clara County, California * Ann Ravel (1974): First female named as the Santa Clara County Counsel (1998) *Erica Yew: First Asian American female to serve on the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, California (2001) *Katherine L. Lucero (1990): First Latino American female to serve on the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, California (2001) *Dolores Carr (1980): First female District Attorney for Santa Clara County, California (2006) *Mary Greenwood (1981): First female Public Defender for Santa Clara County, California (2005) *Risë Jones Pichon (1976): First African American female (and minority overall) to serve as the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, California (2015) * Nahal Iravani-Sani (1993): First Iranian American female judge in Santa Clara County, California (2017) *Audra Ibarra (1995): First Filipino American female judge in Santa Clara County, California (2018). She is also the first Filipino American to serve on the bench. *Elvira Robinson (1976): First Latino American female to serve as the Deputy District Attorney in Santa Clara County, California


Santa Cruz County

* Lucy Underwood McCann (1894): First female lawyer in
Santa Cruz County, California Santa Cruz County (), officially the County of Santa Cruz, is a county on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 270,861. The county seat is Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz County comprises the Santa ...
*June Schnacke: First female to serve as a District Attorney for Santa Cruz County, California (1947) *Heather Morse (1981): First female judge in Santa Cruz County, California *Kathleen Akao (1982): First Asian American female elected as a judge in Santa Cruz County, California (1994)


Shasta County

* Elnora (E.) Beth Livezey (1971): First lawyer (and female) to serve as a Commissioner for
Shasta County Shasta County (), officially the County of Shasta, is a county in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its population is 182,155 as of the 2020 census, up from 177,223 from the 2010 census. The county seat is Redding. Shasta ...
Superior Court, California (1989) *Stephanie Bridgett (2001): First female Assistant District Attorney (2015) and District Attorney (2017) for Shasta County, California


Sierra County

* Yvette Durant (1997): First female judge in
Sierra County, California Sierra County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,236, making it California's second-least populous county. The county seat is Downieville; the sole incorporated city is Loyalton ...
(2016)


Siskiyou County

* Jane L. (Skanderup) Edwards (1953): First female to serve as the District Attorney for Siskiyou County, California (1971-1974) *Karen L. Dixon: First female elected as a judge in
Siskiyou County, California Siskiyou County (, ) is a county in the northernmost part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 44,076. Its county seat is Yreka and its highest point is Mount Shasta. It falls within the Cascadia bioregion ...
(2009)


Solano County

* Marian Randall (née Leachman) (1940): Possibly the first female lawyer in
Solano County, California Solano County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 453,491. The county seat is Fairfield. Solano County comprises the Vallejo–Fairfield, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is ...
*Jean E. Simpson (née Morris) (1950): First female lawyer (who was a lieutenant) to be assigned to
Travis Air Force Base Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command (AMC), located three miles (5 km) east of the central business district of the city of Fairfield, in Solano County, Californi ...
in
Fairfield, California Fairfield is a city in and the county seat of Solano County, California, in the North Bay sub-region of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is generally considered the midpoint between the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento, approximately fro ...
(1951) olano County, California* Barbara James (1973): First female magistrate in Solano County's history (1989) * Lesli Caldwell (1979): First female Public Defender of Solano County (2010) * Ramona Garrett (1980): First female (and first African American female) Judge of the
Solano County Superior Court The Solano County Superior Court is the California superior court with jurisdiction over Solano County. Historical Summary The California Constitution of 1849 laid the framework for the judicial system. In Solano County, prior to the establishm ...
(1992) * Cynda Unger (1983): First female elected as a Judge of the
Solano County Superior Court The Solano County Superior Court is the California superior court with jurisdiction over Solano County. Historical Summary The California Constitution of 1849 laid the framework for the judicial system. In Solano County, prior to the establishm ...
(2000) * Krishna Abrams (1993): First female District Attorney of Solano County (2014) * Claudia Quintana (1995): First Latino American female to become the City Attorney for Vallejo, California olano County, California*Bernadette Curry (1998): First female to serve as the County Counsel for Solano County (2019) * Dora M. Rios (1999): First Latino American female Judge of the
Solano County Superior Court The Solano County Superior Court is the California superior court with jurisdiction over Solano County. Historical Summary The California Constitution of 1849 laid the framework for the judicial system. In Solano County, prior to the establishm ...
(2017) *Kelly Trujillo (2006): First Latino American female to serve as the President of the Solano County Bar Association


Sonoma County

* Luda Fulkerson Barham: First female lawyer in
Sonoma County, California Sonoma County () is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 488,863. Its county seat and largest city is Santa Rosa, California, Santa Rosa. It is to the n ...
*Ellen Fleming: First female Justice of the Peace in Sonoma County, California (c. 1942) *Gayle Guynup (1976): First female judge in Sonoma County, California (1983) *Elaine Malisch Rushing: First female to serve on the Superior Court of Sonoma County (1992) *Virginia Marcoida (1977): First Latino American female to serve on the Sonoma County Superior Court (2008) *Jill Ravitch (1987): First female District Attorney for Sonoma County, California (2011) *Kathleen Pozzi (1987): First female Public Defender for Sonoma County, California (2013) *Barbara Phelan (1987): First openly LGBT female to serve on the Sonoma County Superior Court (2018)


Sutter County

* Susan Green (1995): First female judge in
Sutter County, California Sutter County is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 99,633. The county seat is Yuba City. Sutter County is included in the Yuba City, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Sacra ...
(2009) *Amanda Hopper (2004): First female District Attorney for Sutter County, California (2014)


Tehama County

* Lisa Muto (1989): First female lawyer to run as a judicial candidate in
Tehama County, California Tehama County ( ; Wintun for "high water") is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,829. The county seat and largest city is Red Bluff. Tehama County comprises the ...
(2010) *Laura S. Woods (1995): First female judge in Tehama County, California (2017)


Trinity County

* Elizabeth "Liz" Johnson (1992): First female judge in
Trinity County, California Trinity County is a List of counties in California, county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of California. Trinity County is rugged, mountainous, heavily forested, and lies along the Trinity River (California), Trinity River ...
(2013) *Megan Marshall and Donna Daly: First females to serve as the District Attorney for Trinity County on an interim and permanent basis respectively (2018)


Yolo County

*Gloria Megino Ochoa (1976): First Filipino American female to graduate from the
UC Davis School of Law The University of California, Davis School of Law (Martin Luther King Jr. Hall), referred to as UC Davis School of Law and commonly known as King Hall, is the professional graduate law school of the University of California, Davis. The school rec ...
nowiki/>Yolo_County,_California.html" ;"title="Yolo_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Yolo County, California">nowiki/>Yolo County, California">Yolo_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Yolo County, California">nowiki/>Yolo County, California*Donna Petre (1976): First female judge in Yolo County, California (c. 1987) *Sonia Cortés (1997): First Latino American female judge in Yolo County, California (2015)


Yuba County

* Kathleen O'Connor (1973): First female judge in Yuba County, California (2002)


Central California


Fresno County

* Pauline Hanson (1946): First female to serve on the Fresno County, California, Fresno County Superior Court (1979) * Judith Leslie Soley (1971): First female to serve as the President of the Fresno County Bar Association (1986) * Hilary A. Chittick (1979): First female to serve as the Presiding Judge of the Fresno County Superior Court (2007) * Susan B. Andersen (1987): First female (an attorney) to serve in a countywide position (1990) * Jane Cardoza (1981): First Hispanic American female elected to serve on the Fresno County Superior Court (1996) * Glenda Allen-Hill (1983): First African American female judge in Fresno County, California (2008) * Elizabeth Diaz (1990): First female Public Defender for Fresno County, California (2014) * Elizabeth Egan (1995): First female District Attorney for Fresno County, California (2003) * Pahoua C. Lor (2009): First Asian American female (of Hmong descent) judge in Fresno County, California (2022)


Kings County

* Colleen Carlson (1999): First female to lead the Office of County Counsel in
Kings County, California Kings County is a county located in the U.S. state of California. The population was 152,486 at the 2020 census. The California Department of Finance estimated the county's population was 152,940 as of July 1, 2019.http://dof.ca.gov/Forecasting ...
(2010) *Tonya Lee (2000): First female to serve as the Deputy District Attorney in Kings County, California (2013)


Madera County

*Marcia Putney: First female judge in
Madera County, California Madera County (), officially the County of Madera, is a county at the geographic center of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 156,255. The county seat is Madera. Madera County comprises the Madera, CA Metr ...
(1945) *Sally Moreno (1995): First female District Attorney for Madera County, California (2018)


Mariposa County

*Barbara K. Shea: First female Justice of the Peace in
Mariposa County, California Mariposa County () is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 17,131. The county seat is Mariposa. It is located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, north of Fresno, east of ...
(1918)


Merced County

*Flossie Lobo: First female to be elected judge in
Merced County, California Merced County ( ), is a county located in the northern San Joaquin Valley section of the Central Valley, in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 281,202. The county seat is Merced. The county is named after ...
(c. 1950) *Angil Morris-Jones (1978): First African American female judge in Merced County, California (1997) * Kimberly Reitz Helms Lewis (1997): First female elected District Attorney for Merced County, California (2018)


Monterey County

* Elizabeth Helfrich (1959): First female lawyer in Salinas, California nowiki/>Monterey_County,_California.html" ;"title="Monterey_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Monterey County, California">nowiki/>Monterey County, California">Monterey_County,_California.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Monterey County, California">nowiki/>Monterey County, California* Wendy Clark Duffy (1977): First female judge in Monterey County, California (1989) *Marla O. Anderson (1986): First African American female to become a Judge of the Monterey County Superior Court (1995) *Jeannine Pacioni (1990): First female to serve as the District Attorney for Monterey County, California (2019) *Susan Chapman (1986): Monterey County Public Defender, County of Monterey and the first woman to hold this position (2017)


San Benito County

*Lorena Johnson: First female Justice of the Peace in
San Benito County, California San Benito County (; ''San Benito'', Spanish language, Spanish for "Benedict of Nursia, St. Benedict"), officially the County of San Benito, is a county (United States), county located in the California Coast Ranges, Coast Range Mountains of the ...
(c. 1947) *Jean Flanagan: First female lawyer in San Benito County, California (upon opening her own law practice in Hollister in 1975) *Candace Hooper: First female to serve as the District Attorney for
San Benito County, California San Benito County (; ''San Benito'', Spanish language, Spanish for "Benedict of Nursia, St. Benedict"), officially the County of San Benito, is a county (United States), county located in the California Coast Ranges, Coast Range Mountains of the ...
(2006)


Stanislaus County

* Esto Bates Broughton (1916): First female lawyer in
Stanislaus County, California , image_skyline = , image_caption = Images, from top down, left to right: Modesto Arch, Knights Ferry's General Store, a view of the Tuolumne River from Waterford , image_flag = , i ...
*
Ann Veneman Ann Margaret Veneman (born June 29, 1949) is an American attorney who served as the fifth executive director of UNICEF from 2005 to 2010. She previously served as the 27th United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2001 to 2005, and was the firs ...
(1976): First female to serve as the Deputy Public Defender in Stanislaus County, California (1978) *Susan D. Siefken: First female to serve as the President of the Stanislaus County Bar Association (1989) *Dawna Frenchie Reeves (1995): First African American (female) judge in Stanislaus County, California (2008) *
Birgit Fladager Birgit Fladager is the former District Attorney of Stanislaus County, California. She was elected in June, 2006 and re-elected in 2010 and 2014. In each of those years, she got more than 50% of the vote in the primary election. She did not achie ...
(1986): First elected female District Attorney of
Stanislaus County, California , image_skyline = , image_caption = Images, from top down, left to right: Modesto Arch, Knights Ferry's General Store, a view of the Tuolumne River from Waterford , image_flag = , i ...
(2006)


Tulare County

*Anna White Garlund (1944): First female lawyer in
Tulare County, California Tulare County ( ) is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 473,117. The county seat is Visalia, California, Visalia. The county is named for ...
*Melinda M. Reed (1979) and Elisabeth B. Krant-Latronico (1980): Per available sources, the first females to serve respectively as municipal court judges in Tulare County, California (1993-1995). They would both later become superior court judges in 1998. *Lisa Bertolino (1988): First female Public Defender for Tulare County, California (2014)


Tuolumne County

*Eleanor Provost (1976): First female to serve as the Deputy District Attorney for
Tuolumne County, California Tuolumne County (), officially the County of Tuolumne, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 55,620. The county seat and only incorporated city is Sonora. Tuolumne County comprises the ...
(1977-1982). She later became a judge. *Cherie Spitze (1994): First female President of the Tuolumne County Bar Association (2015)


Southern California

*
Betty Tom Chu Betty Tom Chu is an American lawyer, politician and banker. She is known for being the first Chinese-American woman to pass the bar admission of State Bar of California. She was also the first Chinese-American woman to be the chief executive of a ...
(1961): First Chinese American female lawyer in
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
*Denise de Bellefeuille (1981): First female judge on the
South Coast South Coast is a name often given to coastal areas to the south of a geographical region or major metropolitan area. Geographical Australia *South Coast (New South Wales), the coast of New South Wales, Australia, south of Sydney * South Coast (Q ...
in California (c. 1993)


Imperial County

* Annie M. Gutierrez (1972): First female (and Latino American female) judge in
Imperial County, California Imperial County is a County (United States), county on the southeast border of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 179,702, making it the least populous county in Southern Californi ...
(2002) *Diane Altamirano (1977): First female to serve as the Presiding Judge for the Superior Court of Imperial County, California (2018) *Katherine Kmiec Turner (2007): First female County Counsel for Imperial County, California (2015)


Kern County

* Ellen Miller (1936): First female judge in
Kern County, California Kern County is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 909,235. Its county seat is Bakersfield, California, Bakersfield. Kern County comprise ...
(1957). She is reputed to be the first female lawyer in Bakersfield, California.
ern County, California Ern or ERN may refer to: Transport * Eirunepé Airport, in Brazil * Engenho da Rainha Station, on the Rio de Janeiro Metro * Ernakulam Town railway station, in Kerala, India * Ernest Airlines, an Italian airline Other uses * Ern (given name ...
*Lisa Green (1983): First female to serve as the District Attorney for Kern County, California (2010) *Raymonda Burnham (1996): First female public defender and criminal defense lawyer to be appointed a Judge of the Kern County Superior Court (2008) * Gloria J. Cannon (1996): First African American female judge in Kern County, California (2017) *Pam Singh (2004): First female Public Defender for Kern County, California (2017) *Judith K. Dulcich (1990) and Colette M. Humphrey (1984): First females to serve simultaneously as the Presiding Judge and Assistant Presiding Judge respectively for Kern County Superior Court (2019) *Wendy L. Avila: First Latino American female judge in Kern County, California (2021) *Alekxia Torres-Stallings (2014): First Latino American female to serve as the President of the Kern County Bar Association (2021). Torres-Stalling and her father David A. Torres are the first father and daughter to have served as county bar president.


Los Angeles County

*
Clara Shortridge Foltz Clara Shortridge Foltz (July 16, 1849 – September 2, 1934) was an American lawyer, the first female lawyer on the West Coast, and the pioneer of the idea of the public defender. The Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles was renamed ...
(1878): First female Deputy District Attorney for
Los Angeles County, California Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the List of the most populous counties in the United States, most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, ...
(1910) *Elizabeth Kenney (1897): First female lawyer in Los Angeles, California os Angeles County, California* Orfa Jean Shontz (1913): First female referee of the Juvenile Court of
Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...
, California (1915-1920) * Georgia Bullock (1913): First female judge in Los Angeles County, California (1931) * May Darlington Lahey (1914): First female (who was Australian) to serve as the Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles Municipal Court (c. 1943) * Mabel Walker Willebrandt (1917): First female Public Defender of Los Angeles County, California (c. 1920s) * Vaino Spencer (1952): First African American female judge in Los Angeles County, California (1961) *Marion L. Obera (1962): First African American female to serve as a Deputy District Attorney in California (1963) *
Consuelo B. Marshall Consuelo Bland Marshall (born September 28, 1936) is a Senior status, senior United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Education and career Born in Knoxv ...
(1962): First female (and African American female) to work in the City Attorney's Office for Los Angeles (1962) *Patricia Phillips (1968): First female to serve as the President of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, California (1984) *Ramona Perez (1972): First Latino American female judge in Los Angeles County, California (1985) *Maxine F. Thomas (1972): First African American female appointed as a Presiding Judge of Los Angeles Municipal Court (1987) *Miriam Krinsky: First (female) lawyer from the public sector to serve as the President of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, California (2002) *Lee S. Edmon: First female to serve as the Assistant Presiding Judge (2009-2010) and Presiding Judge (2011-2012) of
Los Angeles County Superior Court The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, is the California superior court with jurisdiction over Los Angeles County, which includes the city of Los Angeles. It is the largest single unified trial court in the United States. The ...
*Carol L. Newman (1979): First openly LGBT female to serve as the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, Los Angeles County, California (2015) *
Jackie Lacey Jacquelyn Phillips Lacey (born February 27, 1957) is an American politician who served as the District Attorney of Los Angeles County from December 3, 2012 to December 7, 2020. Lacey is the first woman, and first African-American, to serve as LA ...
(1982): First female (and African American female) District Attorney for Los Angeles County, California (2012) *Maria Rohaidy (1989): First Hispanic American (female) to serve as the President of the Long Beach Bar Association, Los Angeles County, California (2009) *
Jacqueline Nguyen Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen ( vi, Nguyễn Hồng Ngọc; born May 25, 1965) is an American lawyer who serves as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She previously served as a United States d ...
(1991): First Vietnamese American female judge in Los Angeles County, California (2002)


Orange County

* Clara Cushman (1922): First female lawyer in
Orange County, California Orange County is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,186,989, making it the third-most-populous county in California, the sixth-most-populous in the United States, a ...
* Celia Young Baker (1948): First female judge in Orange County, California (1948) *Betty Lou Lamoreaux (1957): First female to serve on the Superior Court of Orange County, California (1976) * Alicemarie Stotler (1967): First female lawyer to work in the Orange County District Attorney's Office *Frances Munoz (1972): First Latino American (female) lawyer hired by the Public Defender's Office in
Orange County, California Orange County is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,186,989, making it the third-most-populous county in California, the sixth-most-populous in the United States, a ...
*Heidi Mueller (1975): First female lawyer to practice criminal defense full-time in Orange County, California (1977) *Karen Robinson (1989): First African American female judge in Orange County, California (2003) * Cristina L. Talley (1982): First Latino American female to become the City Attorney for Anaheim, California range County, California(2009) *Sheila Hanson (1989): First Iranian American (female) judge in Orange County, California (2006) *Lei Lei Wang Ekvall (1992): First Asian American female to serve as the President of the Orange County Bar Association (2010)


Riverside County

* Mary McFarland Hall (1934): Reputed to be the first female lawyer in
Riverside County, California Riverside County is a County (United States), county located in the southern California, southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most ...
* Janice McIntyre (1975): First female judge in Riverside County, California (1981) *Irma Poole Asberry (1979): First African American female judge in Riverside County, California (2007) *Raquel A. Marquez-Britsch (1991): First Latino American female judge in
Riverside County, California Riverside County is a County (United States), county located in the southern California, southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most ...
(2011) and
San Bernardino County, California San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a County (United States), county located in the Southern California, southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the ...
* Susanne Cho (1993): First Korean American female judge in Riverside County, California (2014) * Sunshine Sykes (2002): First Native American (
Navajo The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States. With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...
) female judge in Riverside County, California (2013)


San Bernardino County

* Grace Storey Merlo: First female Deputy Public Defender for
San Bernardino County, California San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a County (United States), county located in the Southern California, southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the ...
(c. 1957) *Margaret J. Morris (1953): First female judge in San Bernardino County, California (1963) *Katrina West (1990); First African American (female) to serve on the San Bernardino County Superior Court (2001) *Raquel A. Marquez-Britsch (1991): First Latino American female judge in
Riverside County, California Riverside County is a County (United States), county located in the southern California, southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most ...
(2011) and
San Bernardino County, California San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a County (United States), county located in the Southern California, southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the ...
*Doreen Boxer (1993): First female Public Defender for San Bernardino County, California (2006-2010) *Lily L. Sinfield (1998): First Asian-Pacific Islander female judge in San Bernardino County, California (2012) *Candice Garcia-Rodrigo: First Latino American female elected judge in San Bernardino County, California (2021)


San Diego County

*
Clara Shortridge Foltz Clara Shortridge Foltz (July 16, 1849 – September 2, 1934) was an American lawyer, the first female lawyer on the West Coast, and the pioneer of the idea of the public defender. The Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles was renamed ...
(1878): First female lawyer in
San Diego County, California San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634, making it California's second-most populous county and the fi ...
* Madge Bradley (1933): First female judge in San Diego County, California (1953) *Patricia A. Yim Cowett (1972): First Chinese American female judge in San Diego County, California (1979) * Elizabeth Riggs (1974): First African American female judge in San Diego County, California (1979) * Randa Trapp: First African American (female) judge to serve in the Civil Division and as its Supervising Judge * Melinda Lasatar (1973): First female to serve as the President of the San Diego County Bar Association (1985) *
Irma Elsa Gonzalez Irma Elsa Gonzalez (born March 29, 1948) is a retired United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, who was the first Mexican-American female federal judge.http://womenslegalhistory.sta ...
: First Latino American female judge in San Diego County, California (1991) *
Bonnie Dumanis Bonnie Michelle Dumanis (born December 16, 1951) was the District Attorney of San Diego County, California. She held the office 2003 to 2017. Dumanis is a Republican, though the office she held was officially nonpartisan. She was the first openl ...
(1977): First Jewish and openly LGBT female District Attorney of San Diego an Diego County, California(2003) *Tamila Ebrahimi Ipema: First Iranian American (female) judge in San Diego County, California (2009) *
Mara Elliott Mara Woodworth Elliott (born October 3, 1968) is an American elected official in San Diego, California who serves as the San Diego City Attorney. Elliott is the first woman, and first Latina, to serve as City Attorney in San Diego's history. She ...
(1994): First Latina American female lawyer elected as City Attorney for San Diego, California (2016) *Truc T. Do (1997): First Vietnamese American (female) judge in San Diego County, California (2018) *Marcella "Marcy" McLaughlin (1999): First Latina American female to serve as the President of the San Diego County Bar Association (c. 2013)


San Luis Obispo County

* Teresa Estrada-Mullaney (1979): First female (and Latino American female) Deputy District Attorney and judge in
San Luis Obispo County, California San Luis Obispo County (), officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a County (United States), county on the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 282, ...
(1981 and 1992, respectively)


Santa Barbara County

* Deborah Talmage (1976): First female commissioner in
Santa Barbara County, California Santa Barbara County, California, officially the County of Santa Barbara, is located in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 448,229. The county seat is Santa Barbara, and the largest city is Santa Maria. Santa Barba ...
(1983) *Barbara J. Beck (1974): First female judge in
Santa Barbara County, California Santa Barbara County, California, officially the County of Santa Barbara, is located in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 448,229. The county seat is Santa Barbara, and the largest city is Santa Maria. Santa Barba ...
(1985) *Christie Stanley (1978): First female to serve as the District Attorney for Santa Barbara County, California (2006) *Von T. Nguyen Deroian (2006): First Asian-Pacific Islander (female) judge in Santa Barbara County, California (2018) *Denise Hippach: First African American (female) judge in Santa Barbara County, California (2022) *Kay Kuns: First female lawyer from
Santa Ynez Valley The Santa Ynez Valley is located in Santa Barbara County, California, between the Santa Ynez Mountains to the south and the San Rafael Mountains to the north. The Santa Ynez River flows through the valley from east to west. The Santa Ynez Valle ...
to become a Judge of the Superior Court of Santa Barbara (2009) *Patricia L. Kelly: First female to serve as the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of Santa Barbara County, California (2017-2018) *Elizabeth Diaz: First Hispanic American (female) to serve as the President of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association (2020)


Ventura County

* Alice Titus Magill (1908): First female lawyer in
Ventura County, California Ventura County () is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 843,843. The largest city is Oxnard, and the county seat is the city of Ventura. Ventura County comprises the Oxn ...
(1938) * Melinda Johnson (1972): First female judge (1982) and Presiding Judge (1993) in Ventura County, California *Michele M. Castillo (2002): First Latino American/Filipino American female judge in Ventura County, California (2016)


See also

*
List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States This list of the first women lawyers and judges in each state of the United States includes the years in which the women were admitted to practice law. Also included are women of other distinctions, such as the first in their states to get law de ...
*
Timeline of women lawyers in the United States This is a short timeline of women lawyers in the United States. Much more information on the subject can be found at: List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States * 1869 – Arabella Mansfield became the first female lawyer in the ...
*
Women in law Women in law describes the role played by women in the legal profession and related occupations, which includes lawyers (also called barristers, advocates, solicitors, attorneys or legal counselors), paralegals, prosecutors (also called Distri ...


Other topics of interest

*
List of first minority male lawyers and judges in the United States This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in each state. It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are other distinctions such as the first minority men in their stat ...
*
List of first minority male lawyers and judges in California This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in California. It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are other distinctions such as the first minority men in their state ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:First women lawyers and judges in California Lawyers, California, first American women judges California, first Women, first Women, California, first Women in California