Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Rose Bird as Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, the first woman to hold that position or serve on the court.
On March 26, 1977, Governor Jerry Brown nominated Rose Bird to become Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, and she was confirmed shortly thereafter, taking office that same month. She became the first woman ever to serve on the California Supreme Court and the first woman in the United States to serve as chief justice of any state supreme court's highest position of such prominence.
Her appointment was historic and immediately controversial. Bird had never served as a judge before her appointment—she came from an administrative and legal background rather than the bench—which drew criticism from segments of the legal establishment and conservative political circles. Nonetheless, her confirmation by California voters (chief justices must be confirmed via retention election) marked a watershed moment for gender equity in the American judiciary.
As Chief Justice, Bird presided over a court known for progressive rulings, particularly her strong stance against the death penalty, which she believed was applied unconstitutionally and disproportionately in California. Her tenure was marked by fierce political battles, including sustained attacks from law-and-order political groups, prosecutors, and business interests who opposed her judicial philosophy.
Her appointment fundamentally reshaped perceptions of women's capacity to lead in the highest ranks of American law and inspired a generation of female attorneys and judges. Despite her eventual ouster by voters in 1986, her fifteen-month path from cabinet secretary to chief justice remains a landmark achievement in the history of women in law.