Holder becomes Tennessee's first female Chief Justice

Chief Justice Holder takes the oath while her mother looks on.
Janice Holder, a justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court since 1996, became the first female Chief Justice of that court in Tennessee history on Tuesday.

"I don't think anyone would ever mistake Janice Holder for being one of the boys," said U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey, who became the first female justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1990. "She's a black belt wearin', roller bladin', pickup truck drivin', scuba divin' person whose decision to study law in the 1970s, when so few women were doing so, is only one of the things that has set her apart in life."

Martha Craig Daughtrey, the first woman to serve on the Tennessee Supreme Court
Holder's formal presentation of rank took place at a small ceremony in the Tennessee Supreme Court Building in Nashville. Among those in attendance were former chief justices Frank Drowota and Adolpho A. Birch Jr. (who was the first African American to be chief justice). Holder's mother Sylvia Abraham Holder stood beside her as she put her left hand on her family Bible, raised her right hand and repeated the oath, which was read to her by William Barker, whom she replaced as chief justice.

"Not only is she my mother," Holder said afterwards, "but she was without a doubt a major factor in my original campaign for circuit court judge back in 1990."

There are five members of the Tennessee Supreme Court. According to the Tennessee Constitution, the members choose a chief justice from among their numbers.

When the court is not in session, Holder resides in Memphis.

Several people spoke at the event and made reference to other firsts for women in Tennessee history. Justice Connie Clark pointed out that it had been 88 years since Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving women the right to vote in the United States. As a bit of a gag gift, Clark gave Holder a toy magic wand to help her run the Supreme Court hearings.

Justice Gary Wade reminded everyone who was there that back in 1924, a woman named Anne Davis was elected to the Tennessee General Assembly and that she sponsored legislation that led to the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

"Today we credit her with inspiring the effort to create the national park, while also today Justice Holder accepts her role as chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court," Wade said. "It's about time."
Drake
Wade also made reference to Kate Drake, the first female judge in Tennessee's history. Click here to read about her.

To read more about the judicial branch of Tennessee's government, click here.

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