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'My Efforts to Become a Lawyer"
Article in which Lockwood discusses her early life and her career as a lawyer, with a focus on the discrimination she faced as a woman.
Lockwood, Belva Ann, 1830-1917
1888-02
15 pages
reformatted digital
Belva Ann Lockwood Papers, SCPC-DG-098
Belva Ann Lockwood Papers, SCPC-DG-098 --http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/scpc-dg-098
Lockwood-0068
a
926 MY EFFORTS TO BECOME A LAWYER.
had been sitting in the cause, had died; and of course there was an ad-
journment for another week. Upon the convening of the court at this
time the cause was given to Judge Nott to deliver the opinion of the
court; and three weeks were devoted to this work. I had time to
reflect, to study up on my law, to ponder upon the vast disparity be-
tween the sexes, and, if I had possessed any nice discrimination, to see
the utter folly of my course. But 1 would not be convinced.
Three weeks later, I was again present on the solemn assembling
of that court. It took Judge Nott one hour and a half to deliver his
opinion, which closed as follows :
“The position which this court assumes is that under the laws and
Constitution of the United States a court is without power to grant
such an application, and that a woman is without legal capacity to take
the office of attorney.” ~
Of course this was a squelcher, and with the ordinary female mind
would have ended the matter; for it was concurred in without a dis-
senting voice by the four other judges on that august bench. But I
was at this time not only thoroughly interested in the law, but devoted
to my clients, anxious that their business should not suffer, and de-
termined to support my family by the profession I had chosen. My
cases and my powers of attorney were filed in the court, and. there was
nothing to prevent me from taking the testimony, which I did, and
preparing the notices and motions which my clients filed. Neverthe-
less I found that I was working continuously at a disadvantage, and
that my clients lacked the confidence in me that I would have com-
manded had I stood fairly with the court.
I had another important case in course of preparation to file in the
Court of Claims, and, in order to bridge over the disability under which
I stood with the court, I took an assignment of the claim. But in this
I hardly succeeded better. The case was that of Webster M. Raines et
ux. against the United States, and my assignment covered only. one-
third of it. I appeared in propria persona, and attempted to argue my
own case. The chief justice declared that I was nof the assignee, al-
though the original claimant appeared in court and declared that I was,
and stated also his desire to ha've me represent his portion of the case.
Tt was no use. When 1 arose to explain my position, the court grew
white at my audacity and imperturbability, and ppsitively declined to
hear me. ‘Then I hired a lawyer to represent me in the case,—a male
attorney, who had been a judge on the bench. He occupied the court
for three days in saying very badly what I could have. said well in one
hour. This was some little revenge; but he lost my case, and I at once
appealed it to the United States Supreme Court, hoping that before the
case would be reached in that court I should have had the three years
of good standing in the court below, and thus become entitled to ad-
mission thereto under the rule, which reads, “Any attorney in good
standing before the highest court of any State or Territory for the space
of three years shall be admitted to this court when presented by a
member of this bar.” I read the rule over carefully and repeatedly,
to make sure that it included me, and asked myself, Why not? Was
not I a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of the District of
pemmrowenimey meen
“y
Lockwood-0068_12
reformatted digital
Belva Ann Lockwood Papers, SCPC-DG-098 --http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/scpc-dg-098
Lockwood-0068_12