Co-hosts Justices Beth Walker of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia and Rhonda Wood of the Arkansas Supreme Court talk about their role as women justices in their respective state supreme courts. They share their experiences and insights and discuss the accomplishments and challenges faced by women in state courts. Along with their invited guests, they cover topics such as the importance of state constitutional law, how courts operate, the meaning of justice, and why state courts matter.
Episodes
Thursday Oct 28, 2021
Season 2, Episode 2: Your Law School Questions Answered
Thursday Oct 28, 2021
Thursday Oct 28, 2021
On this episode, the Lady Justices share their insight on how to succeed in law school based on listener questions that we received from students through social media and on our podcast voicemail. Joining the program is special guest Justice Carla Wong McMillian (shown right) of the Georgia Supreme Court.
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Season 2, Episode 1: Premier, Why State Constitutions Matter
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
In this Season 2 opener, we're once again celebrating Constitution Day! The justices discuss timely issues around state constitutions, like redistricting after the recent census. The women also discuss the most recent amendments to the constitutions in their states. Plus, what happens when states interpret the same general language in their constitutions differently? All that explained on this episode about why constitutions matter.
Thursday Jul 15, 2021
Season 1, Episode 11: Beyond Their Opinions
Thursday Jul 15, 2021
Thursday Jul 15, 2021
Being a state Supreme Court justice is about much more than writing opinions on important cases. Justices are also responsible for overseeing the court system in their state.
Part of this usually involves finding a passion and trying to affect change where they think it’s needed, whether that’s working to help children in foster care, studying the reasons behind an ever-growing prison population, or trying to keep their colleagues safe when job stress and substance abuse seems to be affecting their ability to best serve the public.
The women were recently invited to speak at the Arkansas Bar Association’s annual conference, where they discussed this and other topics, like technology in the court.
This is the last episode of Season 1. We'll return with Season 2 in September!
Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
Season 1, Episode 10: Go Your Own Way
Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
In some countries, Supreme Courts write an opinion as a whole court. After all, the law is the law and there should be one unified interpretation of it, right? Well, that’s not how things operate in the Unites States. Court decisions recognize openly that the law is not always clear and certain.
A justice can write a dissent to explain why they think the majority got it wrong or a concurrence, meaning they agree with the Court’s decision but not necessarily the steps to getting there. The lady justices discuss the process, which is also known as writing separately.
Thursday Apr 22, 2021
Season 1, Episode 9: A Path To Well-Being and Civility
Thursday Apr 22, 2021
Thursday Apr 22, 2021
For years, lawyers have struggled with issues like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse at a rate higher than the general population. The women discuss how, historically, there’s been a hands-off approach by the profession to addressing these issues, but that this is changing in some big ways.
We hear from a national expert, Bree Buchanan, who is leading a movement toward recognizing the many benefits of assisting lawyers, law students, and judges with mental health and substance abuse issues and the high cost of turning a blind eye. Plus, the justices share thoughts on promoting civility.
Episode Resources:
The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys
Stress and Resiliency in the U.S. Judiciary
Where Are We on the Path to Law Student Well-Being?
Thursday Mar 25, 2021
Season 1, Episode 8: Legal Crusaders
Thursday Mar 25, 2021
Thursday Mar 25, 2021
In this episode, the justices examine the lives of women legal crusaders you may not have heard about. Also, the latest numbers are out about the state of women in law firms, which calls for a discussion examining why it might be that women go to law school at the same rate as men yet there remains a significant lack of women in law firm leadership.
Read the rest of this entry »Monday Feb 22, 2021
Season 1, Episode 7: Justice Personified
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Monday Feb 22, 2021
On this episode, examining the female figure that has become the moral face of the court system: Lady Justice. We see statues of Lady Justice in courthouses across America - the scales, the blindfold, the sword. The women discuss what the imagery means to them personally after some reflection and scholarly reading.
We’ll also hear from Yale Law School professor and author Judith Resnik, who has spent years studying the history of Lady Justice and the various ways she is portrayed throughout the world. And, it’s a new year and that means new female faces on our nation’s state courts! We’ll introduce you to some of them.
Read the rest of this entry »Wednesday Jan 27, 2021
Season 1, Episode 6: May It Please The Court
Wednesday Jan 27, 2021
Wednesday Jan 27, 2021
Most Supreme Court cases are decided based on written briefs submitted by attorneys. But sometimes the Court grants oral argument in a case and attorneys have the opportunity to speak directly to the justices in the courtroom. Justices generally know where they stand going in to oral argument. Can oral argument be so effective it changes the mind of a justice and the outcome of a case?
The women take questions during a virtual event by the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists.
Wednesday Dec 16, 2020
Season 1, Episode 5: A Seat At The Table
Wednesday Dec 16, 2020
Wednesday Dec 16, 2020
The women take questions during a virtual event by the Women’s Chapter of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. Topics include women in leadership and balancing a high-demand career with the responsibilities of motherhood. Plus, holiday memories and good reads!
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Season 1, Episode 4: We're Going To Appeal This
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
When a party loses in court, they have the right to appeal the ruling and ask a higher court, known as an appellate court, to review the case. But what happens next? The women provide a behind-the-scenes look at the process.
How it Started
Before the creation of the Lady Justice: Women of the Court podcast, the four women came together in April 2020 to answer questions about the judicial branch of government posed by Justice Rhonda Wood's granddaughter, Blakeley. After the recording of this video, the justices decided they wanted to get together more often to create educational content.
In the News
KARK in Arkansas: Lady Justices on Capitol View
WSAZ in West Virginia: Lady Justice: Women of the Court on Studio 3
Little Rock Soiree: 5 Podcasts Led by Women in Arkansas
Law.com: Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Four Women State Supreme Court Justices Launch Podcast
Metro News in West Virginia: West Virginia Supreme Court justice joins court podcast
Contact Us
Be a part of the podcast! Record a voicemail at the link below:
https://www.speakpipe.com/LadyJustice
Or, e-mail a question or comment to: podcast@arcourts.gov