Mary S. Coleman, Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_S._Coleman

Mary Stallings Coleman (1914–2001) was a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court from 1973 until 1982.

Coleman was born in Forney, Texas but grew up in Washington, DC. She did her undergraduate work at the University of Maryland and received her law degree from George Washington University. Coleman eventually settled in Marshall, Michigan.

She ran for the Michigan Supreme Court in 1972 and won the election and took office in 1973. She ran for re-election 1978. She retired in 1982 two years before her second term was up and Governor William Milliken appointed Lieutenant Governor James Brickley to replace her just before he and Brickley left office.

On the Supreme Court, Coleman was elected the first female chief justice. Coleman is in the University of Maryland Hall of Fame and Michigan Women's Hall of Fame.

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Mary S. Coleman was born on June 24, 1914, in Forney, Texas. Both of Coleman's parents were attorneys. The family moved to Washington, D.C. when she was still young.

Upon her father's early death, Coleman's mother took the position as chief of the section in the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for enforcement of the beer and wine provisions of the Volstead Act. Although Coleman and her mother were subjected to various threats due to her mother's position, they enjoyed other experiences such as meeting Franklin D. Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover.

Coleman enjoyed her college experience and was twice voted "Miss University of Maryland." Following her graduation, Coleman attended law school at George Washington University during the evening, in addition to working a full-time job. She met her husband, Creighton Coleman, while in law school and the couple married following their graduation.

Coleman and her children joined Creighton in Germany when he was stationed there following World War II. When she and her daughters left Germany, they were flown out during the Berlin airlift.

The family eventually settled in Marshall, Michigan, and Coleman served in private practice. Her public service career began when she became a Probate and Juvenile Court Judge from 1961 until 1973. She was elected to the Michigan Supreme Court on November 7, 1972, and began her service as the first woman to serve on the Court in 1973. She also was the first woman to serve as Chief Justice, holding that position from 1979 until close to the end of her career on the Bench. While serving on the Bench, she took great interest in the preservation of Court history. (Coleman, Mary S. Personal Interview, Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society Oral History Project, Interview by Roger Lane, at Gainesville, Florida, 21 - 23 Jan. 1991.)

Coleman retired from the Court in 1982 and died in November of 2001.