In re Lockwood, 154 U.S. 116 (1894)

Belva A. Lockwood was a practicing attorney who was licensed in several states. Lockwood applied for admission to practice law in the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia, and was subsequently denied admission. VA. Code § 3192 (1887) indicated that attorneys licensed to practice law in other states were permitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Lockwood filed for leave to file a writ of mandamus, which would require the Court to admit her to practice law in accordance with the Virginia Code.

The Supreme Court denied the application for leave, stating the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia was responsible for interpreting whether the word "person" as used in the referenced Virginia Code is confined to just men, and whether or not women are permitted to practice law in that jurisdiction. 

Topics

• Employment discrimination
• Gender discrimination

Geographical location

• North America
• United States
• Virginia

Keywords

• women practicing law
• law practice
• women in law
• legal profession
• equal before the law
• equal employment opportunity

Year

• 1894

External URL

• In re Lockwood, 154 U.S. 116 (1894)

Court

• United States Supreme Court

Type

• Domestic Case Law

Jurisdiction

• United States