Justine W. Polier
Encyclopedia
An outspoken activist and a "fighting judge," Justine Wise Polier (1903–1987) was the first woman Justice in New York
. For 38 years she used her position on the Family Court bench to fight for the rights of the poor and disempowered. Polier was born April 12, 1903 in Portland, Oregon
to Rabbi Stephen Wise and Louise Waterman Wise. Her father was a prominent rabbi and was one of the founders of the American Jewish Congress
and the NAACP
He was also a leading advocate of a Jewish state and a pro-labor activist. Her mother was an artist and social worker who founded the Free Synagogue Adoption Committee in 1916 in New York.
As a young woman, Polier studied labor relations and advocated for workers’ rights, while also working at a settlement house and textile mill. She attended Bryn Mawr College
, Radcliffe College
, and Barnard College
.
In 1925, she enrolled in Yale Law School
, where she eventually became editor of the Yale Law Journal. Her first husband was Leon Arthur Tulin, a professor of criminal law at Yale. He died of leukemia
in 1932. She married Shad Polier in 1937.
Preferring social legislation to practicing law, Polier worked as the first woman referee and later Assistant Corporate Council for the Workman's Compensation Division. In 1935, New York City Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia offered her a judgeship on the Domestic Relations Court, and at age 32 Polier became the first woman judge in New York State.
In her time serving as judge, Polier was deeply involved in combating de facto segregation
in the New York school system and institutional racism elsewhere in the public sector. During what she called her "second day," Polier worked to broaden services to troubled children and their families with organizations like the Citizens' Committee for Children
, the Field Foundation, and the adoption agency founded by her mother in 1916 and renamed "Louise Wise Services" by Polier, who served as President of its Board of Directors beginning in 1946, and the Wiltwyck School.
Polier was deeply moved by the Jewish prophetic tradition of commitment to justice. Polier's concern for Jewish rights meant that, like her parents, she was a committed Zionist. She served as vice-president of the American Jewish Congress, and president of its women's division. In addition she believed that pluralism and the separation of church and state were "the essence of Americanism."
Polier's absolute commitment to justice made her a powerful advocate for poor women and children throughout her life. In the 1920s she fought for the Passaic women laborers, in the 1980s she condemned the federal ban on funding for poor women's medically necessary abortions, and she spent her retirement monitoring national juvenile detention policies for the Children's Defense Fund
. Polier's ideal of justice was infused with empathy. At the same time, she insisted compassion was worthless unless accompanied by a commitment to justice. Although she had never planned to serve more than a few years in the Family Court, Polier stayed for almost four decades.
Much of this article is based on an article at the Jewish Women's Archive, www.jwa.org, which is available under the terms of the GFDL.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. For 38 years she used her position on the Family Court bench to fight for the rights of the poor and disempowered. Polier was born April 12, 1903 in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
to Rabbi Stephen Wise and Louise Waterman Wise. Her father was a prominent rabbi and was one of the founders of the American Jewish Congress
American Jewish Congress
The American Jewish Congress describes itself as an association of Jewish Americans organized to defend Jewish interests at home and abroad through public policy advocacy, using diplomacy, legislation, and the courts....
and the NAACP
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
He was also a leading advocate of a Jewish state and a pro-labor activist. Her mother was an artist and social worker who founded the Free Synagogue Adoption Committee in 1916 in New York.
As a young woman, Polier studied labor relations and advocated for workers’ rights, while also working at a settlement house and textile mill. She attended Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
, Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
, and Barnard College
Barnard College
Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough...
.
In 1925, she enrolled in Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
, where she eventually became editor of the Yale Law Journal. Her first husband was Leon Arthur Tulin, a professor of criminal law at Yale. He died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
in 1932. She married Shad Polier in 1937.
Preferring social legislation to practicing law, Polier worked as the first woman referee and later Assistant Corporate Council for the Workman's Compensation Division. In 1935, New York City Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia offered her a judgeship on the Domestic Relations Court, and at age 32 Polier became the first woman judge in New York State.
In her time serving as judge, Polier was deeply involved in combating de facto segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
in the New York school system and institutional racism elsewhere in the public sector. During what she called her "second day," Polier worked to broaden services to troubled children and their families with organizations like the Citizens' Committee for Children
Citizens' Committee for Children
Citizens' Committee for Children of New York is a non-governmental organization based in New York City and founded in 1944 thatprovides "a voice for children, especially poor and vulnerable children and children with special needs" as the city's "only locally-based, multi-issue child advocacy...
, the Field Foundation, and the adoption agency founded by her mother in 1916 and renamed "Louise Wise Services" by Polier, who served as President of its Board of Directors beginning in 1946, and the Wiltwyck School.
Polier was deeply moved by the Jewish prophetic tradition of commitment to justice. Polier's concern for Jewish rights meant that, like her parents, she was a committed Zionist. She served as vice-president of the American Jewish Congress, and president of its women's division. In addition she believed that pluralism and the separation of church and state were "the essence of Americanism."
Polier's absolute commitment to justice made her a powerful advocate for poor women and children throughout her life. In the 1920s she fought for the Passaic women laborers, in the 1980s she condemned the federal ban on funding for poor women's medically necessary abortions, and she spent her retirement monitoring national juvenile detention policies for the Children's Defense Fund
Children's Defense Fund
The Children's Defense Fund is an American child advocacy and research group, founded in 1973 by Marian Wright Edelman. Its motto Leave No Child Behind reflects its mission to advocate on behalf of children...
. Polier's ideal of justice was infused with empathy. At the same time, she insisted compassion was worthless unless accompanied by a commitment to justice. Although she had never planned to serve more than a few years in the Family Court, Polier stayed for almost four decades.
Much of this article is based on an article at the Jewish Women's Archive, www.jwa.org, which is available under the terms of the GFDL.