U.S. District Court Judge
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Key moments and achievements from Rya Zobel's life.
Rya was born
· Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States
Degree
After arriving in the United States as a young immigrant with little English, she earned her A.B. from Radcliffe College.
Degree
After arriving in the United States as a young immigrant with little English, she earned her A.B. from Radcliffe College.
Degree
She received her LL.B. from Harvard Law School as one of only a small number of women in a class of several hundred men.
Degree
She received her LL.B. from Harvard Law School as one of only a small number of women in a class of several hundred men.
Appointment
Nominated by President Jimmy Carter and confirmed by the Senate, she became the first woman appointed to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the first in New England.
Appointment
Nominated by President Jimmy Carter and confirmed by the Senate, she became the first woman appointed to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the first in New England.
Ruling
She presided over the landmark instant-photography patent case, finding that Eastman Kodak had infringed patents held by the Polaroid Corporation.
Ruling
She presided over the landmark instant-photography patent case, finding that Eastman Kodak had infringed patents held by the Polaroid Corporation.
Appointment
She became the first woman to lead the Federal Judicial Center, the education and research agency of the federal courts, serving until 1999.
Appointment
She became the first woman to lead the Federal Judicial Center, the education and research agency of the federal courts, serving until 1999.
Role
After 35 years of active service she took senior status while continuing to hear cases.
Role
After 35 years of active service she took senior status while continuing to hear cases.
Award
She became the first woman U.S. District Court judge to receive the Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award, the highest honor for a federal judge.
Award
She became the first woman U.S. District Court judge to receive the Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award, the highest honor for a federal judge.
Rya Zobel passed away
