List of first women lawyers and judges in Oklahoma
This is a list of the first women lawyer and judge in Oklahoma. It includes the year in which the women were admitted to practice law. 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
Lawyers
- Minerva K. Elliott Lentz : First female to pass the Oklahoma Territory Bar
- Laura Lykins : First female lawyer in Oklahoma
- Ethel Maude Proffit Stephenson: First female lawyer from Oklahoma admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court
Law Clerk
- Jessie Elizabeth Randolph Moore: First female elected to serve as a law clerk of the Oklahoma Supreme Court and Criminal Court of Appeals
Judicial Officers
State
Judges
- Faye L. Roblin: First female to serve in a judicial capacity in Oklahoma
- Grace Elmore Gibson: First female judge in Oklahoma
- Susan Bragg: First African American female judge in Oklahoma
Appellate Court
- Patricia MacGuigan: First female appointed as a Judge of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
- Rita M. Strubhar: First female appointed as a Judge of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals
Supreme Court
- Alma Wilson : First female appointed as a Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court and serve as its Chief Justice
Federal
District Court
- Vicki Miles-LaGrange : First African American female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and serve as its Chief Judge
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Magistrate Judge
- Robin Cauthron: First female to serve as the United States Magistrate Judge in the six-state Tenth Circuit
Attorney General
- Susan B. Loving: First female Attorney General of Oklahoma
Assistant Attorney General
- Kathryn Van Leuven: First female Assistant Attorney General of Oklahoma
United States Attorney
- Vicki Miles-LaGrange : First female to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma
- Susie Pritchett: First female lawyer hired by the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Oklahoma
County Attorney (abolished office)
- Amelia Patterson Frye: First female to serve as a County Attorney in Oklahoma
Assistant County Attorney (abolished office)
- Margaret Lamm: First female to serve as an Assistant County Attorney in Oklahoma
District Attorney
- Kay Huff: First female to serve as a District Attorney in Oklahoma
Political Office
- Kay Floyd: First openly LGBT female elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Bar Association
- Jayne Montgomery: First female to serve as the Vice-President of the Oklahoma Bar Association
- Mona Salyer Lambird: First female to serve as the President of the Oklahoma Bar Association
Firsts in local history
Region
- Irma J. Newburn: First female district judge in Western Oklahoma
Adair County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Atoka County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Bryan County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Canadian County
- Bernice Dona Berry Beckham: First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Reta Strubhar: First female to serve as a Judge of the District Court of Canadian County, Oklahoma
Carter County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Cherokee County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Choctaw County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Cleveland County
- Bernice Dona Berry Beckham: First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Kay Huff: First female to serve as a District Attorney for Cleveland, Garvin and McClain Counties, Oklahoma
Coal County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Comanche County
- Lisa Shaw: First female to become an Associate District Judge in Comanche County, Oklahoma
Craig County
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
Creek County
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
Delaware County
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
Garvin County
- Kay Huff: First female to serve as a District Attorney for Cleveland, Garvin and McClain Counties, Oklahoma
Haskell County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Hughes County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Johnston County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Kingfisher County
- Susie Pritchett: First female elected as a judge in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma
Latimer County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Le Flore County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Logan County
- Laura Austin Thomas: First female District Attorney for Logan and Payne Counties, Oklahoma
Love County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Marshall County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Mayes County
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
McClain County
- Kay Huff: First female to serve as a District Attorney for Cleveland, Garvin and McClain Counties, Oklahoma
McCurtain County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
McIntosh County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Murray County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Muskogee County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Nowata County
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
Okfuskee County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Oklahoma County
- Bernice Dona Berry Beckham: First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Elizabeth Kerr: First female to serve as a judge in Edmond, Oklahoma
- Susie Pritchett: First female lawyer hired by Oklahoma County's Public Defender's Office
Okfuskee County
- Maxey Reilly: First female judge in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma
Okmulgee County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Osage County
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
Ottawa County
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
Pawnee County
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
Payne County
- Laura Austin Thomas: First female District Attorney for Logan and Payne Counties, Oklahoma
Pittsburg County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Pontomac County
- Freddie "Fred" Andrews: First female judge in Pontomac County, Oklahoma
Pontotoc County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Pottawatomie County
- Bernice Dona Berry Beckham: First female to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Pushmataha County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Rogers County
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
Seminole County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Sequoyah County
- Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Tulsa County
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
- Wilma Palmer: First African American female to serve as a Judge of the Tulsa County District Court, Oklahoma
Wagoner County - Kimberly E. West: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
Washington County
- Chloe Eunice Passly Dilday: First female judge in Washington County, Oklahoma
- Claire Eagan: First female appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
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