Clara S. Foltz
| Clara Shortridge Foltz | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | July 16, 1849 Lafayette, Indiana |
| Died | September 2, 1934 (aged 85) Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Attorney, publisher, suffragist |
| Known for | First female lawyer admitted to the California State Bar |
| Spouse(s) | Jeremiah D. Foltz (m. 1864) |
| Relatives | Samuel M. Shortridge (brother) |
Clara Shortridge Foltz (July 16, 1849 – September 2, 1934) was the first female lawyer on the West Coast, and pioneered the idea of the public defender. The Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles was renamed after her in 2002, and is now known as the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
Foltz was born Carrie Shortridge in Lafayette, Indiana, to Telitha and Elias Shortridge (a lawyer and preacher). During the Civil War, the family moved to Mount Pleasant, Iowa, where Foltz attended a co-educational school (rare at the time). In December 1864, at age 15, she eloped with a farmer and Civil War veteran named Jeremiah D. Foltz, and they began having children. However, he had difficulty supporting his family. The Foltzes moved several times, first to Portland, Oregon and finally to San Jose, California in 1872. During these times, she contributed articles to the New Northwest and the San Jose Mercury.
Around 1876, her husband deserted her and their five children. She began studying law in the office of a local judge, in part through the support of local suffragette Sarah Knox-Goodrich. She also supported herself by giving public lectures, starting in 1877, on suffrage.
Foltz wanted to take the bar examination but California law at the time allowed only white males to become members of the bar. Foltz authored a state bill which replaced "white male" with "person," and in September 1878 she passed the examination and was the first woman admitted to the California bar. Having little formal education, she wished to study at the first law school in California to improve her skills. Alongside her ally Laura de Force Gordon, Foltz applied to Hastings College of the Law but was denied admission because of her sex. Foltz and Gordon sued, arguing their own case, and won admission.
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