Evening star., 1922-08-07
WOMEN WHO HAVE WON
SUPREME COURT CASES
A Correction Showing That Femi-
nine Barristers Date Back
Forty Years.

10 the Editor Of The Star:
The Enclosed clipping from Thurs
day evenings Star. stating that Miss
Florence King. widely known at
torney and the only woman who ever
won a case before the United States
Supreme Court" will be one of the
two women to attend the American
Bar Association IN San Francisco in
August, has reached me up here, and,
in the interest of accuracy as well as
In justice to the accomplishments of
women in the law as a profession
permit me to correct the statement
therein that Mrs. Belva A. Lockwood
procured the legislation which made
women eligible to practice before the
Supreme Court of the United States
with the same qualifications as men.
This law was passed in February,
1879, and properly, Mrs. lockwood was
tho first woman to avail herself OF
this privilege. She was the first
woman to argue and win case be-
fore that tribunal forty years ago,
and she argued not one, but several.
Mrs. Annette A. Adams. when assist
ant attorney general had charge of
the cases involving the enforcement
of the eighteenth amendment, and
she frequently appeared before the
Supreme Court and met with great
success. Her successor, Mrs. Willie
brandt, has had many cases before
the Supreme Court. and has won the
admiration and approval of both
bench and bar. During the last term
Of the court it was no novelty to see
a charming, petite, but dignified Wom-
an, the assis1o1t attorney general.
1ahr ad
court, while the assistants from the
Department of Justice acted under
orders in finding authorities, etc.
There are now so many Wom-
an members of the bar OF the
Supreme Court of the United States
that even the clerk of the court. Mr..
Stansbury, has lost count or them.
Our Judge Mary O'Toole won her
first case before the Supreme Court
before she was appointed judge
Of our Municipal Court. l was ad-
mitted to the Supreme Court bar IN
1896. being then the thirteenta s
woman to enjoy that honor. j nave
had several cases before that tribu-
nal, all of which were decided in my
favor, and / am sure that many other
women have had similar experiences.
AS to the American Bar Associa-
tion. Miss Mary Suthrop OF the Den,
yer bar was the first woman admitted
to membership and to hold ONCE
therein There are now about twenty
Ave woman members and Miss Emma
M. Gillette is vice president OF the
local council for the district of Colo
rado. Miss Pearl Mccall. assistant
to the District United States district
attorney, is a member of the execu-
tive council
Miss Ida May Meyers. former presi-
dent Of the Women's Bar Association
of the District of Columbia, will at
tend the meeting of the American Bar
Association in San Francisco, begin
ming August and she will also have
with her from the District Miss kath-
arine Pike and Miss Harriet Freely
Mrs. Willebrandt and Mrs. A. A.
Adorin will also be in attendance.
In closing, permit me to call at
tentioA to the fact that Attorney
General Daugherty, one year ago, di-
rected each United States district at
torney appointed to add at least one
woman to his corps of assistants. AS
there are seyenty-nine United States
district attorneys in the country, this
means that the woman's point OF
view is being given consideration.
ELLEN SPENCER MUSSEY.
Eaglesmere, Pa.