List of first women lawyers and judges in Oklahoma

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

Vicki Miles-LaGrange: First African American female Judge (1994) and Chief Judge (2008) of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma

Lawyers

• Minerva K. Elliott Lentz (1893):[1] First female to pass the Oklahoma Territory Bar
• Laura Lykins (1898):[2][3] First female (who was half-Shawnee) lawyer in Oklahoma
• Ethel Maude Proffit Stephenson:[1] First female lawyer from Oklahoma admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court

Law Clerk

• Jessie Elizabeth Randolph Moore:[1] First female elected to serve as a law clerk of the Oklahoma Supreme Court and Criminal Court of Appeals (1926)

Judges

• Faye L. Roblin:[4][5] First female to serve in a judicial capacity in Oklahoma (1921)[6]
• Grace Elmore Gibson:[1][7] First female judge in Oklahoma (1930)
• Susan Bragg:[8][9] First African American female judge in Oklahoma (1985)

Appellate Court

• Patricia MacGuigan:[1][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals (1982)
• Rita M. Strubhar:[1][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals (1993)

Supreme Court

• Alma Wilson (1941):[11][12] First female appointed as a Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court (1982) and serve as its Chief Justice (1995)

District Court

• Vicki Miles-LaGrange (1977):[13] First African American female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma (1994) and serve as its Chief Judge (2008)
• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)
• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma

Magistrate Judge

• Robin Cauthron:[1] First female to serve as the United States Magistrate Judge in the six-state Tenth Circuit (1991)

Attorney General

• Susan B. Loving:[15] First female Attorney General of Oklahoma (1991-1995)

Assistant Attorney General

• Kathryn Van Leuven:[1][16][17] First female Assistant Attorney General of Oklahoma (1922-1928)

United States Attorney

• Vicki Miles-LaGrange (1977):[13] First female (and African American female) to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma (1993)
• Susie Pritchett:[18][19] First female lawyer hired by the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Oklahoma

County Attorney (abolished office)

• Amelia Patterson Frye:[1] First female to serve as a County Attorney in Oklahoma

Assistant County Attorney (abolished office)

• Margaret Lamm:[20] First female to serve as an Assistant County Attorney in Oklahoma

District Attorney

• Kay Huff:[21] First female to serve as a District Attorney in Oklahoma (1978)

Political Office

• Kay Floyd:[22] First openly LGBT female (a lawyer) elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives (2012)[23]

Bar Association

• Jayne Montgomery:[1] First female to serve as the Vice-President of the Oklahoma Bar Association (1978)
• Mona Salyer Lambird:[24] First female to serve as the President of the Oklahoma Bar Association (1990-1991)

Firsts in local history

Alphabetized by county name

Region

• Irma J. Newburn:[25] First female (and African American female) district judge in Western Oklahoma

Adair County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Atoka County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Bryan County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Canadian County

• Bernice Dona Berry Beckham:[1] First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma[27]
• Reta Strubhar:[28] First female to serve as a Judge of the District Court of Canadian County, Oklahoma (1984)

Carter County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Cherokee County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Choctaw County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Cleveland County

• Bernice Dona Berry Beckham:[1] First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma[27]
• Kay Huff:[21] First female to serve as a District Attorney for Cleveland, Garvin and McClain Counties, Oklahoma (1978)

Coal County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Comanche County

• Lisa Shaw:[29] First female to become an Associate District Judge in Comanche County, Oklahoma (2014)

Craig County

• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)[30]

Creek County

• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)[30]

Delaware County

• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)[30]

Garvin County

• Kay Huff:[21] First female to serve as a District Attorney for Cleveland, Garvin and McClain Counties, Oklahoma (1978)

Haskell County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Hughes County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Johnston County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Kingfisher County

• Susie Pritchett:[18][19] First female elected as a judge in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma

Latimer County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Le Flore County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Logan County

• Laura Austin Thomas:[31] First female District Attorney for Logan and Payne Counties, Oklahoma (2014)

Love County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Marshall County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Mayes County

• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)[30]

McClain County

• Kay Huff:[21] First female to serve as a District Attorney for Cleveland, Garvin and McClain Counties, Oklahoma (1978)

McCurtain County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

McIntosh County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Murray County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Muskogee County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Nowata County

• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)[30]

Okfuskee County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Oklahoma County

• Bernice Dona Berry Beckham:[1] First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma[27]
• Elizabeth Kerr:[32] First female to serve as a judge in Edmond, Oklahoma [Oklahoma County, Oklahoma]
• Susie Pritchett:[18][19] First female lawyer hired by Oklahoma County's Public Defender's Office

Okfuskee County

• Maxey Reilly:[33] First female judge in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma (2017)

Okmulgee County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Osage County

• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)[30]

Ottawa County

• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)[30]

Pawnee County

• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)[30]

Payne County

• Laura Austin Thomas:[31] First female District Attorney for Logan and Payne Counties, Oklahoma (2014)

Pittsburg County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Pontomac County

• Freddie "Fred" Andrews:[1] First female judge in Pontomac County, Oklahoma

Pontotoc County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Pottawatomie County

• Bernice Dona Berry Beckham:[1] First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma[27]

Pushmataha County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Rogers County

• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)[30]

Seminole County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Sequoyah County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Tulsa County

• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)[30]
• Wilma Palmer:[34] First African American female to serve as a Judge of the Tulsa County District Court, Oklahoma (2007)

Wagoner County

• Kimberly E. West:[1][14][10] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma[26]

Washington County

• Chloe Eunice Passly Dilday:[1] First female judge in Washington County, Oklahoma
• Claire Eagan:[1] First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2001)[30]

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 Oklahoma

References

1. DeLacerda, Melissa; Trotter, Patsy. "OKLAHOMA'S WOMEN LAWYERS". Oklahoma Women's Almanac. pp. 39–47.
2. Weatherford, Doris (2012-01-20). Women in American Politics: History and Milestones. SAGE Publications. ISBN 9781608710072.
3. The Independent. proprietors. 1898.
4. "Oklahoma Woman Presides As a "Judge, Your Honor"". 1921-02-25. pp. PAGE FIVE. ISSN 1065-7894. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
5. Women of Today. Women of Today Press. 1923.
6. Upon Roblin's appointment as a Judge of the Oklahoma Industrial Commission in 1921
7. "Corsicana Daily Sun from Corsicana, Texas on April 13, 1936 · Page 3". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
8. Inc, The Crisis Publishing Company (2005). The Crisis. The Crisis Publishing Company, Inc.
9. The Crisis. Crisis Publishing Company. 2005.
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11. "High Court Justice Alma Wilson Dies". NewsOK.com. 1999-07-28. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
12. "Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame Inductees by Year". library.okstate.edu. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
13. "Judge Miles-LaGrange Inducted into Oklahoma Hall of Fame - Vassar, the Alumnae/i Quarterly". vq.vassar.edu. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
14. "Kimberly E. West. Magistrate Judge | Eastern District of Oklahoma | United States District Court". www.oked.uscourts.gov. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
15. Ford, Brian. "First Female Sworn In as State Attorney General". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
16. "Strive To Be Womanly: Mrs. Kathryn Van Leuven". Newspapers.com. December 4, 1921. Retrieved 2018-12-13.
17. Phillips, Mary (April 7, 2014). "Oklahoma Portia was pioneering female lawyer". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 2018-12-13.
18. Writer, Cass Rains Staff. "Kingfisher County's voters to be judges Tuesday at the polls". Enidnews.com. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
19. "Obituary: Susie Pritchett". Legacy.com. June 22, 2011.
20. The Oklahoma Bar Journal. Oklahoma Bar Association. 1997.
21. "Brewer, Huff Discuss Views of Defense, Prosecution". Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. March 2, 1980. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
22. "Kay Floyd wins runoff, set to become Oklahoma's 1st lesbian legislator". Dallas Voice. August 29, 2012.
23. Upon becoming a Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the Forty-Sixth District
24. "County Bar Elects Woman To Presidency". NewsOK.com. 1989-07-11. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
25. "Judge looks forward to women being in more leadership roles". The Lawton Constitution. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
26. The Eastern District of Oklahoma includes the following counties: Adair, Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Cherokee, Choctaw, Coal, Haskell, Hughes, Johnston, Latimer, Le Flore, Love, Marshall, McCurtain, McIntosh, Murray, Muskogee, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pushmataha, Seminole, Sequoyah, and Wagoner.
27. Oklahoma City in Oklahoma spans the following counties: Canadian, Cleveland, Oklahoma, and Pottawatomie.
28. "Oklahoma History Center Family Tree | Family Histories". www.okhistory.org. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
29. Guthrie, Monica K. (August 27, 2015). "Fort Sill honors local leaders during Women's Equality Day". U.S. Army.
30. Northern District of Oklahoma includes the following counties: Craig, Creek, Delaware, Mayes, Nowata, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Rogers, Tulsa, and Washington Counties.
31. Page, Guthrie News (2017-12-12). "District Attorney announces her candidacy for re-election". Guthrie News Page. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
32. "Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women - Commissioners". www.ok.gov. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
33. "Oklahoma Hall of Fame adds Judge Maxey Reilly to 2019 Board of Directors". Okemah News Leader. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
34. Reports, Staff. "Court's first black female judge sworn in". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2019-01-03.