AMERICAN WOMEN JUDGES - A SURVEY OF THEIR BACKGROUNDS AND ATTITUDES

• NCJ Number: 18803
• Author(s): B L BREHM
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 130 pages
• Grant Number(s): 73-NI-99-1002; 73-NI-99-1023
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DISSERTATION - MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Annotation

INFORMATION ON WHO OUR CURRENT WOMEN JUDGES ARE, WITH EMPHASIS ON THEIR CAREER LADDERS, AS WELL AS THEIR VIEWPOINTS ON SUCH CURRENT LEGAL ISSUES AS THE AGE OF MAJORITY AND FACTORS IMPORTANT IN SENTENCING.

Abstract

THE NAMES OF ALL AMERICAN WOMEN JUDGES WERE COLLECTED FROM STATE BAR ASSOCIATIONS. THEN A FORTY-THREE ITEM QUESTIONNAIRE WAS SENT TO EACH OF THE WOMEN JUDGES ON THE STATE LISTS. THE QUESTIONS COVERED FAMILY HISTORY, LEGAL EXPERIENCE, JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE, POLITICAL ACTIVITY, FEMINISTIC VIEWS AND ATTITUDES ON SEVERAL LEGAL CONTROVERSIES. INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH FOUR MICHIGAN WOMEN JUDGES OF VARYING BENCH LEVELS TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION ON THESE TOPICS. THE MAJOR FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY SHOWED THAT THE WOMEN JUDGES WHO WERE IN THE PRIME OCCUPATIONAL MOVEMENT GROUP IN THE 1950'S WERE AS NUMEROUS AS THOSE FROM OTHER AGE GROUPS BUT THAT THEY SAW STRONGER SEXUAL AND POLITICAL BARRIERS TO THEIR ADVANCEMENT THAN DID THE OTHER GROUPS. SECONDLY, MOST OF THE CURRENT WOMEN JUDGES DID NOT COME FROM FAMILIES ALREADY INVOLVED IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW, NOR DID THESE WOMEN USE HEAVY POLITICAL ACTIVITY AS AN ENTRY INTO THE JUDICIARY. THERE WAS SOME SPECIALIZATION BY THE WOMEN JUDGES IN AREAS OF 'WOMEN'S LAW' SUCH AS PROBATE COURT.