Rough Road to Justice by Betty Trapp Chapman 

Chapman details the history of three major judicial moments for women in Texas: the first woman admitted to practice law in Texas in 1902, the 1925 all-female special Texas Supreme Court, and the 1981 appointment of Sandra Day O'Connor to the US Supreme Court.

Reading this book made me think of Ruth Bader Ginsberg's quote that there will be enough women on the Supreme Court "when there are nine." The seating of an all-female state appellate court in Texas in 1925 was the first time any state had an entire panel of women decide a case. It was referred to as the "Petticoat Supreme Court." The special appointment of the women as judges happened because a party to the case was a fraternal organization that most male lawyers in the state belonged to. The three women were licensed lawyers but none of them was a judge. The governor had to appoint them and there were only about 75 female lawyers to chose from in Texas at that time.

This is a great read about women breaking into male spaces and even more interesting for Texas women lawyers, those women considering practicing law, or anyone interested in the progression of female lawyers in the state. These women were so bright and so capable. The book is inspiring! You won't take for granted the number of female lawyers practicing ever again - but you will wonder when the highest courts in the land will have a female majority....