The Honorable Stuart P. Katz (1956–2026) was a retired Associate Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, known for his dedication to juvenile justice and public service. Before his judicial appointment in 2007, he served for nearly 23 years as a dedicated public...
The Honorable Martha E. Bellinger (1949–2026) was a pioneering Los Angeles Superior Court judge, ordained minister, and law professor who dedicated over two decades to California's legal system. Appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2005, she made legal history as the court's first openly lesbian...
The Honorable Barbara A. Lenk was a pioneering American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 2011 until her mandatory retirement in 2020. Appointed by Governor Deval Patrick, she made history as the first openly gay justice to...
The Hon. Betty Owen Stinson (deceased) is a former justice of the Bronx County Supreme Court in the 12th Judicial District of New York. She was elected to the seat in 2001. Her term ended in 2013. The 12th Judicial District includes Bronx County. Stinson held...
High Court Judge (2001 – 2008); Lord Justice of Appeal (2008 – 2013; Master of the Rolls (2016 – 2021), London England ...
Judge Rice was known as an empathetic and fair judge who was the first openly LGBTQ judge in Santa Clara County. An ordained priest in 1973, he brought exceptional compassion to the bench. Judge Rice started his judicial service in 1999 but suffered a serious...
Serving on the bench from 1985 to 1997, Judge Northrup is remembered for his hard work and gentle nature. On his passing, the Wisconsin Law Journal wrote that Judge Northrup “was one of the fairest people to ever smack a gavel. Maybe it was because...
Master Rob Muir was the first openly LGBTQ master in Canada when he was appointed in 2009. He was a valued colleague, admired mentor, respected leader and cherished friend on the bench. Master Muir was a founding member of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee of...
Judge Meagher was artist, poet, writer and judge. Appointed in 1989, he was the first openly LGBTQ+ Judge in Massachusetts. Following his retirement in 2006, he became a well recognized artist with his drawings, paintings and sculptures exhibited in galleries across Massachusetts. Judge Meagher was a...
Judge Pat Logue served in the Domestic Relations Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County since 2007. Prior to her judicial service, Pat was a leading advocate at Lambda Legal who secured important several legal victories for the LGBTQ+ community including Lawrence v. Texas....