US Edition
First Woman District Judge in Greater Minnesota Relied on Resilence, Humility to Carve Ground-Breaking Career
- Jean Morse was the pioneering female attorney in Olmsted County during the early 1960s and, in 1983, became the first woman appointed as a district judge in a Minnesota area beyond the Twin Cities.
- Morse advanced her career after encouragement from legal peers to apply for a judicial vacancy and was appointed by Gov. Rudy Perpich in 1983.
- Over her 16 years on the bench, Morse handled a wide array of cases, including those related to child custody and sexual abuse, and notably oversaw the 1989 trial of David Brom, a mentally ill teenager who murdered his family.
- In sentencing Brom to three consecutive life terms, Morse described the case as "inexplicable" and acknowledged the emotional difficulty in front of a packed courtroom.
- Morse’s career made her a role model and source of support for women in law, and she died on May 3, 2025, after battling cancer at a Rochester senior facility.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Pine Journal
First woman district judge in Greater Minnesota relied on resilence, humility to carve ground-breaking career
ROCHESTER — In the early stages of Ancy Morse’s legal career, people had a hard time wrapping their heads around the concept of a woman attorney. On her first job, Morse walked into a conference room to meet with a client, who thought she was there to bring him coffee. When Morse explained to the elderly man that she was his attorney, the man was incredulous. “By God, now I’ve seen everything!” he said. Disbelief was the price Morse paid in forg…
Ancy Morse, who died May 3, relied on resilence, humility to carve a ground-breaking legal career
ROCHESTER — In the early stages of Ancy Morse’s legal career, people had a hard time wrapping their heads around the concept of a woman attorney. On her first job, Morse walked into a conference room to meet with a client, who thought she was there to bring him coffee. When Morse explained to the elderly man that she was his attorney, the man was incredulous. “By God, now I’ve seen everything!” he said. Disbelief was the price Morse paid in forg…
Ancy Morse, who died May 3, relied on resilence, humility to carve a ground-breaking legal career - Finnoexpert
May 31—ROCHESTER — In the early stages of Ancy Morse’s legal career, people had a hard time wrapping their heads around the concept of a woman attorney. On her first job, Morse walked into a conference room to meet with a client, who thought she was there to bring him coffee. When Morse explained to the elderly man that she was his attorney, the man was incredulous. “By God, now I’ve seen everything!” he said. Disbelief was the price Morse paid …
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