Iowa Women's Archives
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City, Iowa

IOWA WOMEN JUDGES PROJECT

ORAL HISTORIES, 1997-2000
2 linear inches

Collection Overview

History

In 1997 and 1998 Iowa State University professor of political science Dr. Mary Ann Tétreault supervised undergraduate students who conducted oral history interviews with Iowa women judges. Interviewees include Margaret Stevenson Briles, Linda Neuman, Donna Paulsen, Rosemary Sackett, and Annette Scieszinski; these jurists began their careers on the bench in the late 1970s and early 1980s. All interviewees graciously released the transcripts of their interviews for use by researchers. These interviews with the "pioneer generation" of Iowa's female jurists form the basis of a paper co-authored paper by Mary Ann Tétreault and a former student, Karla Scheele.

Scope and Content Note

The Iowa Women Judges Project oral histories date from 1997 to 2000 and measure 2 linear inches. The five oral history interview transcripts offer a wealth of information concerning women's experience as lawyers and judges in the late twentieth century. Interviewees discuss their law school experiences, their careers as attorneys, and their ascent to the bench. They also describe instances of sexual harassment or sexual discrimination that they experienced during their careers. To varying degrees, they discuss their personal lives, their education prior to law school, and their insights into the changes in Iowa's legal system during their tenure as jurists. Samples of the general interview question sheet and instructions to interviewers, as well as other pertinent materials concerning the conduct of interviews can be found in the appendix of Tétreault and Scheele's unpublished conference paper titled "Democracy and Representation on the Courts: Female State Judges in Iowa." This paper was presented at the Midwest Political Science Association, which was held April 27-30, 2000 in Chicago.

Related Collections

Rosemary Sackett papers
Linda Kinney Neuman papers

Box List

Box 1

Oral history transcripts

Honorable Judge Margaret Stevenson Briles,1997 Honorable Judge Linda Neuman, 1998 Honorable Judge Donna Paulsen, 1998 Honorable Judge Annette Scieszinski, 1998 Honorable Judge Rosemary Sackett, 1998

Paper

"Democracy and Representation on the Courts: Female State Judges in Iowa," by Dr. Mary Ann Tétreault and Karla Scheele, 2000

 

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