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

Law School

• First female law graduate: Edna Rankin McKinnon (1919)

Lawyers

• First female: Ella Knowles Haskell (1888)
• First Native American (Crow Nation) female: Mary Frances Garrigus (c. 1918)

Law Clerk

• First female to clerk for a Supreme Court of Montana justice: Betty Ann Sias (1945)

Federal judges

• First female (federal magistrate): Carolyn Ostby (1981) in 2002
• First female (U.S. District Court of Montana): Susan P. Watters (1988) in 2014

State judges

• First female (Chief Justice; Montana Supreme Court): Karla M. Gray (1976) in 2000
• First female (Montana Supreme Court): Diane Barz (1968) in 1989
• First Native American (Navajo) female elected (justice court): Joey Jayne
• First female (youngest): Shannen Rossmiller in 2000

Montana Judicial Court

• Karen Townsend: First female elected as a Judge of the Fourth Judicial District (2011) Missoula and Mineral Counties, Montana
• First female (Twelfth Judicial District): Kaydee Snipes Ruiz (2011) in 2019
• First female (Thirteenth Judicial District): Diane Barz (1968) in 1978
• First female (Twentieth Judicial District): Deborah “Kim” Christopher in 2000

Assistant Attorney General

• First female: Ella Knowles Haskell (1888) in 1893

United States Attorney

• First female: Doris Swords Poppler (1948) in 1990

County Attorney

• First female: Emily E. Sloan (1919) in 1924

State Bar of Montana

• First female admitted: Edna Rankin McKinnon (1919)
• First female president: Sherry Scheel Matteucci

Firsts in local history

• Kitty Curtis: First female judge in Flathead County, Montana (1994)
• Holly Brown: First female district court judge in Gallatin County, Montana
• Colleen Herrington: First female chief judge (2023) in Gallatin County, Montana
• Deborah Kim Christopher: First female to serve as the Lake County Attorney, Montana (1991). In 2000, she became the first female judge of the Twentieth Judicial District.
• Jennifer Boatwright-Lint: First female to serve as a district court judge in Ravalli County, Montana (2018)

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 Montana

References

1. ^ Capace, Nancy (2000-01-01). Encyclopedia of Montana. Somerset Publishers, Inc. ISBN 978-0-403-09604-6.
2. ^ Wishart, David J. (2004). Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. U of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0803247877.
3. ^ Godey's Magazine. Godey Company. 1896.
4. ^ Wishart, David J. (2004). Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. U of Nebraska Press. ISBN 9780803247871.
5. "Mary Frances Garrigus '18". Montana's Early Women Lawyers: Trail-blazing, Big Sky Sisters-in-Law. 2015-08-06. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
6. "Betty Ann Sias '45". Montana's Early Women Lawyers: Trail-blazing, Big Sky Sisters-in-Law. 2015-08-06. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
7. ^ "Women and the Bench". Montana's Early Women Lawyers: Trail-blazing, Big Sky Sisters-in-Law. 2015-09-12. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
8. "6 Questions With Joey Jayne, Montana's First Native Woman Justice Court Judge - Indian Country Media Network". indiancountrymedianetwork.com. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
9. "Char-Koosta News - Joey Jayne is the new Justice of Peace". www.charkoosta.com. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
10. "Terrorist Hunter". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
11. "Conrad woman details her cyber war on terrorism". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
12. "Case 16: Pipelines and the terrorist hunter" (PDF).
13. Missoulian, BETSY COHEN of the. "Townsend sworn in as Missoula's first elected female District Court judge". missoulian.com. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
14. Larson, Seaborn. "Four move forward in appointment process to replace Judge Townsend". missoulian.com. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
15. "Snipes Ruiz: 'I'm ready' to start as state judge". Havre Daily News. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
16. Kimbel-Sannit, Arren (2024-03-29). "District court judge resigning during judicial standards complaint". Montana Free Press. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
17. "Doris Swords Poppler '48". Montana's Early Women Lawyers: Trail-blazing, Big Sky Sisters-in-Law. 2015-08-06. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
18. Johnson, Clair. "Billings attorney and former Supreme Court justice Diane Barz dies". The Billings Gazette. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
19. "Emily E. Sloan '19". Montana's Early Women Lawyers: Trail-blazing, Big Sky Sisters-in-Law. 2015-08-06. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
20. Howard, Tom (November 8, 1992). "Unequal justice? Female lawyers find bias in courtrooms". Billings Gazette. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
21. DAVIS, JESSE (December 2012). "Judge closes 18-year career on bench". www.dailyinterlake.com. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
22. Monares, Freddy (2020-05-22). "County's first female district judge announces retirement". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
23. "'They value me less': Bozeman's first female chief judge says her salary is lower than male predecessor". KBZK News. 2023-04-13. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
24. "Judge Deborah Christopher announces reelection bid". Char-Koosta News. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
25. "District judge announces retirement". Sanders County Ledger. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
26. Maki, Kevin (2018-09-24). "Ravalli Co.'s first female District Court Judge takes oath". KECI. Retrieved 2019-01-02.

• Lists of first women lawyers and judges in the United States
• Montana law-related lists
• History of women in Montana
• Lists of people from Montana
• Montana lawyers
• Montana history-related lists