Abstract
There is considerable disagreement as to whether any gender differences on the bench are symbolic, substantive, or both. This paper, based on never-before published surveys and personal interviews conducted in the early 1980s, contributes to that discussion by describing what women appointed to the federal bench by President Carter between 1976 and 1980 had to say about gender differences in their first years in office. I conclude that these early experiences and comments by women on the bench are still relevant today and presage much of the research on judicial gender which has followed.
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Notes
In Executive Order 12097, President Carter authorised his Attorney General to recommend candidates for seats created by the Omnibus Judgeship Act only after ascertaining that an affirmative active effort was made to identify women and minority candidates.
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Martin, E. US Women Federal Court Judges Appointed by President Carter. Fem Leg Stud 17, 43–59 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10691-009-9109-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10691-009-9109-6