Elsbeth Levy Bothe
Encyclopedia
Elsbeth Levy Bothe is an American
attorney and judge. Bothe was one of the first women to begin law school at the University of Maryland School of Law
.
She was born into a large German-Jewish family, the Levys, and was the great-granddaughter of Isaac Hamburger, founder of Hamburger and Sons Clothiers. She attended the Park School
in Baltimore and went to college at the University of Chicago
, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
degree. She was one of the first women to begin law school at the University of Maryland School of Law
, graduated from it in 1952 and was admitted to the Maryland Bar the same year. That year she also met her husband, Bert Bothe, a lawyer in the labor movement. She worked on civil rights in Mississippi and was active with the United Auto Workers
and the Legal Aid Society
upon her return to Baltimore. She practiced law as a defense attorney. It was during these twenty-five years of practicing constitutional and criminal law that she gained a reputation for being hardworking and resourceful. She 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 is a member of the [Institute for Policy Stuides] Board of Trustees.
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.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney and judge. Bothe was one of the first women to begin law school at the University of Maryland School of Law
University of Maryland School of Law
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is the second-oldest law school in the United States by date of establishment and third-oldest by date of first classes. The school is located on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in Downtown Baltimore's West Side...
.
She was born into a large German-Jewish family, the Levys, and was the great-granddaughter of Isaac Hamburger, founder of Hamburger and Sons Clothiers. She attended the Park School
Park School of Baltimore
The Park School of Baltimore is a private, co-educational K-12 school located in Brooklandville, Maryland, USA, just north of the city of Baltimore. The campus lies to the south of Old Court Road in Baltimore County...
in Baltimore and went to college at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree. She was one of the first women to begin law school at the University of Maryland School of Law
University of Maryland School of Law
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is the second-oldest law school in the United States by date of establishment and third-oldest by date of first classes. The school is located on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in Downtown Baltimore's West Side...
, graduated from it in 1952 and was admitted to the Maryland Bar the same year. That year she also met her husband, Bert Bothe, a lawyer in the labor movement. She worked on civil rights in Mississippi and was active with the United Auto Workers
United Auto Workers
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico, and formerly in Canada. Founded as part of the Congress of Industrial...
and the Legal Aid Society
Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society in New York City is the United States' oldest and largest provider of legal services to the indigent. It operates both traditional civil and criminal law cases.-History:...
upon her return to Baltimore. She practiced law as a defense attorney. It was during these twenty-five years of practicing constitutional and criminal law that she gained a reputation for being hardworking and resourceful. She 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 is a member of the [Institute for Policy Stuides] Board of Trustees.
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.