Caroline Duby Glassman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Caroline Duby Glassman
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Glassman taking the oath of office in 1983
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| Associate Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court | |
| In office 1983–1997 |
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| Nominated by | Joseph E. Brennan John McKernan |
| Preceded by | Gene Carter |
| Succeeded by | Leigh Saufley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Caroline Duby
September 13, 1926 Baker, Oregon |
| Died | July 10, 2013 (aged 90) Portland, Maine |
| Spouses | Harry P. Glassman (1953-1981; his death; 1 child) |
| Alma mater | Eastern Oregon University Willamette University College of Law |
Caroline Duby Glassman (born September 13, 1922 – died July 10, 2013) was an American lawyer and judge. She was born in Oregon and studied law there. Later, she moved to Portland, Maine, where she worked as a lawyer with her husband, Harry P. Glassman. In 1983, she made history by becoming the first woman to serve on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. This is the highest court in the state of Maine.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Oregon
Caroline Duby was born on September 13, 1926. Her parents were Caroline Marie and Charles Ferdinand Duby. She was born in a city called Baker (now Baker City) in Eastern Oregon. Her family had a mix of backgrounds. Her father's great-grandmother was from the Nez Perce tribe of Native Americans. Her father also had French family roots.
Caroline grew up in Eastern Oregon. She went to public schools in Baker and a nearby town called Keating. After high school, she went to Eastern Oregon College of Education. Today, this school is known as Eastern Oregon University. She studied there in La Grande.
Becoming a Lawyer
In 1941, Caroline graduated with honors from Eastern Oregon College. She earned an associate degree. After that, she decided to go to law school. She enrolled at Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon. At the time, she was one of only two women studying law there.
Both her father and the dean of the law school tried to talk her out of attending. But Caroline was determined. She and the other female student lived off-campus. The school only allowed this after getting permission from both their parents. The two women lived together until the other student left after two years. Caroline finished law school in 1944. She graduated with top honors, earning a bachelor of laws degree.
A Career in Law
Starting Her Legal Journey
After law school, Caroline passed the Oregon State Bar exam in 1944. This meant she could officially start practicing law in Oregon. She began working for the Salem Title Insurance Company in Salem. She worked there from 1944 to 1946.
Later, in 1952, she moved to California. She became a lawyer working with Melvin Belli in San Francisco. In 1953, she married Harry Paul Glassman in San Francisco. They had one son named Max. Caroline continued to work for Belli until 1960. That's when her family moved across the country to Maine.
Practicing Law in Maine
From 1967 to 1968, Caroline Glassman taught at the University of Maine School of Law. She returned to practicing law in 1969. She worked by herself as a sole practitioner for a few years. In 1974, she joined a law firm called Glassman & Potter in Portland, Maine.
She stayed with that firm until 1979. Then, she joined another firm called Glassman, Beagle & Ridge. Her husband, Harry, became a judge on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court in 1979. He served on the court until he passed away in 1981. Caroline was also a leader in the legal community. She was the president of the Cumberland Bar Association in 1982. She also served on the state bar association's board from 1982 to 1983.
Making History on the Court
Becoming a Judge
On July 7, 1983, something very important happened. Maine Governor Joseph E. Brennan chose Caroline Glassman to be a judge. She was nominated to join the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. This was to replace Judge Gene Carter.
The Maine State Senate had to approve her nomination. They voted on August 4, and everyone agreed. It was a unanimous vote, meaning every senator voted yes. Caroline Glassman was officially sworn into office on August 30. She became the 93rd justice in the court's history. More importantly, she became the first woman ever to serve on Maine's highest court.
Her Time on the Bench
While she was a judge, Caroline Glassman received many special honors. Several universities gave her honorary degrees. These included the University of New England in 1985 and Bowdoin College in 1986. She also received degrees from Husson College in 1989 and her old law school, Willamette University College of Law, in 1994.
In 1990, Governor John McKernan nominated her for a second term. This term would last for seven years. Once again, the state senate confirmed her appointment. In early 1997, she announced she would not seek a third term. She hoped that another woman would be chosen to take her place. Glassman decided to retire before she felt too tired from the job. She also wanted to get involved in community activities. Judges have rules about what they can do outside of court. She left the court on September 1, 1997.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving her role as a judge, Caroline Glassman stayed active. She worked with the Russian American Rule of Law Commission. This group helped connect Maine with the Russian city of Archangel. They worked together on legal matters.
In 1993, the women's section of Maine's bar association created a special award. It was named the Caroline Duby Glassman Award. This award honors her important contributions. Caroline Glassman lived in Portland, Maine for many years. She passed away on July 10, 2013. She was 90 years old and died at the Maine Medical Center in Portland.
See also
- List of female state supreme court justices
