This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/25/obituaries/ruth-abrams-dead.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Ruth Abrams, Judge Who Broke a Glass Ceiling Installed in 1692, Dies at 88 | Ruth Abrams, Judge Who Broke a Glass Ceiling Installed in 1692, Dies at 88 |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Ruth I. Abrams, the first woman to sit on the highest court in Massachusetts since its founding in 1692, and the author of landmark decisions on family law and gender equality that reverberated nationwide, died on Sept. 12 at a senior residence in Boston. She was 88. | Ruth I. Abrams, the first woman to sit on the highest court in Massachusetts since its founding in 1692, and the author of landmark decisions on family law and gender equality that reverberated nationwide, died on Sept. 12 at a senior residence in Boston. She was 88. |
| The cause was complications of heart disease, her brother, George S. Abrams, said. | The cause was complications of heart disease, her brother, George S. Abrams, said. |
| Appointed in 1977, Justice Abrams served on the Supreme Judicial Court, the state’s highest, for 23 years. | |
| “She had a profound belief that the foundation of our society is equal treatment under the law, and she spent her life putting that into practice,” said Margaret H. Marshall, who followed Justice Abrams as the second woman on the high court (19 years later) and became its first female chief justice. | “She had a profound belief that the foundation of our society is equal treatment under the law, and she spent her life putting that into practice,” said Margaret H. Marshall, who followed Justice Abrams as the second woman on the high court (19 years later) and became its first female chief justice. |
| “But mostly,” added Chief Justice Marshall, who retired from the court in 2010, “her impact was in influencing the number of women and minorities who were appointed to the courts. I would not have thrown my hat into the ring if I hadn’t got a call from Ruth Abrams. She single-handedly changed the face of the Massachusetts judiciary.” | “But mostly,” added Chief Justice Marshall, who retired from the court in 2010, “her impact was in influencing the number of women and minorities who were appointed to the courts. I would not have thrown my hat into the ring if I hadn’t got a call from Ruth Abrams. She single-handedly changed the face of the Massachusetts judiciary.” |
| In an oral history of her life for Stanford Law School in 2010, Justice Abrams said that if she had not opened doors for more women, she would have considered herself a failure. But she worked quietly behind the scenes. She never sought the limelight. She rarely mentioned her status as the only woman on the court and shied from the notion that she was a trailblazer. | In an oral history of her life for Stanford Law School in 2010, Justice Abrams said that if she had not opened doors for more women, she would have considered herself a failure. But she worked quietly behind the scenes. She never sought the limelight. She rarely mentioned her status as the only woman on the court and shied from the notion that she was a trailblazer. |
| But starting in law school in the mid-1950s and then as she worked her way up the professional ladder, she had to overcome a world in which women were not taken seriously. | But starting in law school in the mid-1950s and then as she worked her way up the professional ladder, she had to overcome a world in which women were not taken seriously. |
| Ms. Abrams was one of 19 women who, along with 560 men, were admitted to Harvard Law School in 1953. It was the law school’s fourth class to accept women, but even then the school still had no bathrooms for them, and they were called on in class only on “ladies day,” which might be once a month or twice a year, depending on the professor. She never had a female professor, either at Radcliffe as an undergraduate or in law school. | Ms. Abrams was one of 19 women who, along with 560 men, were admitted to Harvard Law School in 1953. It was the law school’s fourth class to accept women, but even then the school still had no bathrooms for them, and they were called on in class only on “ladies day,” which might be once a month or twice a year, depending on the professor. She never had a female professor, either at Radcliffe as an undergraduate or in law school. |
| As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the United States Supreme Court and many others have said, the few women who were lawyers in that era faced numerous barriers to employment and advancement. | As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the United States Supreme Court and many others have said, the few women who were lawyers in that era faced numerous barriers to employment and advancement. |
| After law school Ms. Abrams joined her father, Samuel Abrams, in his solo law practice; her brother, joined them the next year. | |
| “The legal profession wasn’t very hospitable to women,” George Abrams said, “but my father was happy to welcome her into the office, and she was very good at the law.” | “The legal profession wasn’t very hospitable to women,” George Abrams said, “but my father was happy to welcome her into the office, and she was very good at the law.” |
| Her brother witnessed the sexism she faced. When he and Ms. Abrams were trying a case in Middlesex Superior Court, the judge appeared unaccountably angry, declared a recess and called the lawyers to the bench. | Her brother witnessed the sexism she faced. When he and Ms. Abrams were trying a case in Middlesex Superior Court, the judge appeared unaccountably angry, declared a recess and called the lawyers to the bench. |
| “He said, ‘I’m not going to continue this case, young lady, until you get a hat,’” Mr. Abrams recalled. They left, bought a small net hat and returned to court. The trial resumed. | “He said, ‘I’m not going to continue this case, young lady, until you get a hat,’” Mr. Abrams recalled. They left, bought a small net hat and returned to court. The trial resumed. |
| Another time, he said, after Ms. Abrams became an assistant district attorney and stood up in court, the judge complained, “I won’t allow the district attorney to send his secretaries to try cases here,” and he left the courtroom. The clerk had to explain that Ms. Abrams was in fact the prosecutor. | Another time, he said, after Ms. Abrams became an assistant district attorney and stood up in court, the judge complained, “I won’t allow the district attorney to send his secretaries to try cases here,” and he left the courtroom. The clerk had to explain that Ms. Abrams was in fact the prosecutor. |
| “It wasn’t easy,” Mr. Abrams said. “But she was persistent, and she had a lot of support.” | “It wasn’t easy,” Mr. Abrams said. “But she was persistent, and she had a lot of support.” |
| On the high court, many of her opinions, known for their clarity and authority, were widely cited by other courts around the country. | On the high court, many of her opinions, known for their clarity and authority, were widely cited by other courts around the country. |
| In a landmark 1986 opinion, Justice Abrams wrote that the courts could not allow a man to control his former wife by cutting off alimony if she did something, like move in with someone else, that he didn’t like. | In a landmark 1986 opinion, Justice Abrams wrote that the courts could not allow a man to control his former wife by cutting off alimony if she did something, like move in with someone else, that he didn’t like. |
| In another case, she persuaded all of her fellow judges that an insurance company had to cover medical expenses for female-specific conditions, like pregnancy, if it was covering male-specific conditions, like prostate cancer. | In another case, she persuaded all of her fellow judges that an insurance company had to cover medical expenses for female-specific conditions, like pregnancy, if it was covering male-specific conditions, like prostate cancer. |
| She expanded the legal definition of family when she granted visitation rights, after a breakup, to a lesbian who had helped raise her partner’s son. And she wrote far-reaching decisions regarding criminal law and minority rights. | She expanded the legal definition of family when she granted visitation rights, after a breakup, to a lesbian who had helped raise her partner’s son. And she wrote far-reaching decisions regarding criminal law and minority rights. |
| In 1989, a court-sponsored survey found that discrimination against women still permeated the Massachusetts courts. Justice Abrams led a court-appointed committee on women and the law and helped write a handbook that guided state court personnel and the police on how to treat women and avoid sexist language and behavior. | In 1989, a court-sponsored survey found that discrimination against women still permeated the Massachusetts courts. Justice Abrams led a court-appointed committee on women and the law and helped write a handbook that guided state court personnel and the police on how to treat women and avoid sexist language and behavior. |
| The handbook advised against inappropriate touching, remarks about pregnancy and dismissive language, giving examples like “little lady,” “sweetie” and “pretty girl.” | The handbook advised against inappropriate touching, remarks about pregnancy and dismissive language, giving examples like “little lady,” “sweetie” and “pretty girl.” |
| “And,” her brother said, “I have to think that it also said that women were not required to wear hats.” | “And,” her brother said, “I have to think that it also said that women were not required to wear hats.” |
| Ruth Ida Abrams was born on Dec. 26, 1930, in Boston, the oldest of three children. Their mother, Matilda (Bortman) Abrams, was a homemaker. She grew up in Newton, Mass. In addition to her brother, she is survived by her sister, Susan Abrams Medalie. | Ruth Ida Abrams was born on Dec. 26, 1930, in Boston, the oldest of three children. Their mother, Matilda (Bortman) Abrams, was a homemaker. She grew up in Newton, Mass. In addition to her brother, she is survived by her sister, Susan Abrams Medalie. |
| Ms. Abrams majored in history and government at Radcliffe, graduating in 1953. She graduated from law school in 1956. | Ms. Abrams majored in history and government at Radcliffe, graduating in 1953. She graduated from law school in 1956. |
| Samuel Abrams, her father, was the first Harvard Law graduate (Class of 1926) to have both a daughter and a son graduate from the law school as well. | Samuel Abrams, her father, was the first Harvard Law graduate (Class of 1926) to have both a daughter and a son graduate from the law school as well. |
| After working for him, Ms. Abrams joined the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office in 1961. She was given a desk in a hallway but, impressing her bosses, had her own office within three months. | After working for him, Ms. Abrams joined the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office in 1961. She was given a desk in a hallway but, impressing her bosses, had her own office within three months. |
| She viewed her time in the D.A.’s office as the most fun of her career. “It was like being in a grade B movie every day,” she said in the Stanford oral history, citing the characters (litigants, police officers, court personnel) she encountered and the camaraderie among her colleagues. Once she became a judge, she said, the work became more isolating. | She viewed her time in the D.A.’s office as the most fun of her career. “It was like being in a grade B movie every day,” she said in the Stanford oral history, citing the characters (litigants, police officers, court personnel) she encountered and the camaraderie among her colleagues. Once she became a judge, she said, the work became more isolating. |
| Her next job was as chief of the appellate section in the state attorney general’s office in 1969. By then, she had developed a reputation for keen analytical skills and legal expertise, and the judges on the Supreme Judicial Court created a position for her as their special counsel, in which she prepared summaries of cases for them. | Her next job was as chief of the appellate section in the state attorney general’s office in 1969. By then, she had developed a reputation for keen analytical skills and legal expertise, and the judges on the Supreme Judicial Court created a position for her as their special counsel, in which she prepared summaries of cases for them. |
| In 1972, Gov. Francis Sargent, a Republican, appointed her to the Massachusetts Superior Court, the second woman to rise to that bench. Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, a Democrat, appointed her to the Supreme Judicial Court five years later. | In 1972, Gov. Francis Sargent, a Republican, appointed her to the Massachusetts Superior Court, the second woman to rise to that bench. Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, a Democrat, appointed her to the Supreme Judicial Court five years later. |
| Justice Abrams wrote more than 500 opinions on the state’s high court, served on 10 special legal and bar committees and recruited women into the courthouse — to work as law clerks and court reporters and in other jobs — and onto the bench. | Justice Abrams wrote more than 500 opinions on the state’s high court, served on 10 special legal and bar committees and recruited women into the courthouse — to work as law clerks and court reporters and in other jobs — and onto the bench. |
| Chief Justice Marshall estimated that Justice Abrams brought dozens of women into the system, but there is no tally: Justice Abrams never claimed credit for any of them. | Chief Justice Marshall estimated that Justice Abrams brought dozens of women into the system, but there is no tally: Justice Abrams never claimed credit for any of them. |
| But her efforts clearly paid off. By the time Justice Abrams retired in 2000 at the court’s mandatory retirement age of 70, Massachusetts was the only state in the union where the top court had a majority of female justices. | But her efforts clearly paid off. By the time Justice Abrams retired in 2000 at the court’s mandatory retirement age of 70, Massachusetts was the only state in the union where the top court had a majority of female justices. |