Elsbeth Levy Bothe

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Elsbeth Levy Bothe rose to prominence as the first female judge in Baltimore, Maryland to handle cases such as rape and murder. Bothe began her academic career at the Park School in Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating from high school, Bothe began her college pursuits at the University of Chicago, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Always pursuing more, Bothe became one of the four women to begin law school at the University of Maryland School of Law. Bothe graduated from the University of Maryland in 1952 and was admitted to the Maryland Bar that same year.

After successfully obtaining her law degree, Bothe began her career practicing law as a private defense attorney. It was during these twenty-five years of practicing constitutional and criminal law that Bothe gained a reputation for being hardworking and resourceful. This hard work paid off, as Bothe was elected Delegate of the Constitutional Convention of Maryland in 1967, Assistant Public Defender of Maryland 1972-78, President of the ACLU of Maryland (resigned in 1978), and Associate Judge of the Baltimore City Circuit Court 1978-1996.

Bothe's life as an Associate Judge brought much fulfillment. Bothe was the first female judge in Baltimore to handle serious criminal cases such as murders and rapes. As a judge, Bothe was well known for her understanding of the law and the constitutional rights of the defendants that she saw. However, Bothe was not afraid to pass down sentences that were longer than the mandatory time. Bothe's love for life and law has carried her through her years of service to Baltimore residents.

[edit] References

  • A Judge with a Taste for Macabre: Bothe a character on and off bench. 'The Baltimore Sun', 7 May 1995.
  • Heller, Janet. Sitting in Stern Judgement. Warfield's. Vol. 3, no.11 (Jan., 1989), p. 102-104.

[edit] External Links