On June 5, 1928, Cline took her oath of office at the Cleveland Federal Building, formally becoming the first woman ever to serve on the federal bench.
On June 5, 1928, Genevieve R. Cline took her oath of office at the Cleveland Federal Building, formally assuming her duties as a judge of the United States Customs Court. This moment marked the actual commencement of her historic tenure as the first woman to serve on the federal bench in United States history, following her Senate confirmation less than two weeks earlier.
The ceremony, held in her home city of Cleveland, Ohio, was a moment of considerable local and national significance. Cline's swearing-in was covered by press outlets eager to document what many recognized, even at the time, as a historic first for American women. Her presence on the bench symbolized a crack in the long-standing exclusion of women from federal judicial office, an exclusion that had persisted since the founding of the republic.
As a judge on the U.S. Customs Court—a specialized federal court responsible for adjudicating disputes over the classification and valuation of imported goods—Cline brought with her years of relevant expertise from her prior work as a merchandise appraiser. Her competence in this technical area helped establish credibility for women's capacity to serve capably in federal judicial roles more broadly.
Cline would go on to serve on this court for approximately twenty-five years, becoming known for her careful, well-reasoned opinions. Her oath of office on this date is commemorated annually by legal historians and organizations celebrating milestones in the advancement of women in the American legal profession.