Bradwell v. The State of Illinois Matthew Hale Carpenter Supreme Court Justices-Bradley and Miller

Basic Facts Myra Bradwell was born in 1831 in Vermont Married James Bradwell who was a law student in Illinois Apprenticed as a lawyer in her husband’s office Established Chicago Legal News Passed Illinois bar exam and applied for the Illinois Supreme Court bar-she was denied because of her gender

Main Points Women were not recognized as a natural person “The court ruled 8 to 1 that no one has a right to pursue a specific career and that ‘person’ was never intended to include women.” “Justice Bradley offered a concurrence which dismissed the notion of equality between men and women as silly and even dangerous.”

Main Points cont’d Women, by nature, are unfit to be defenders. “The natural and proper timidity and delicacy which belongs to the female sex evidently unfits it for many of the occupations of civil life.” “Man is, or should be, woman’s protector and defender.” “The paramount destiny and mission of woman are to fulfill the noble and benign offices of wife and mother. This is the law of the Creator.”

Historical Significance Bradwell broke many barriers for women and their rights to achieve success This event was one of many that began the women’s rights movement and the 19th Amendment

Should women have the right to practice law?