In her 1st case before #SCOTUS, Belva Lockwood argued that her client’s property was seized unlawfully b/c as a woman, her signature on the underlying deed was insufficient. (Thx @
suffcity100)
It was an ironic use of women’s legal invisibility to defend her client’s interests.
We don’t know how Belva felt about it. Maybe it stung, or maybe it satisfied. In the years before marriage equality, most of the time gays lost out on benefits we should have had - but occasionally we avoided an unwanted obligation, and I never felt bad about that.
Belva Lockwood helped create an Old Girls Network in the SupCt Bar. 20 women were admitted 1880-1900, many sponsored by other women. Kate Hamilton Pier & her 3 daughters from Wisconsin. Marilla Ricker, who got the highest score on the DC Bar exam. Myra Bradwell, denied in 1873.