description Phyllis A. Kravitch Overview
Phyllis A. Kravitch was a United States Circuit Judge who made history as the first woman appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in 1979. Nominated by President Jimmy Carter, she continued her service on the newly established Eleventh Circuit following the 1981 circuit reorganization.
Throughout her tenure, she worked on federal appellate cases, contributing to the interpretation of law in the southeastern United States.
help Phyllis A. Kravitch FAQ
When was Phyllis A. Kravitch appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals?
President Jimmy Carter nominated her on January 19, 1979, for a seat on the Fifth Circuit. The Senate confirmed her on March 21, and her commission was issued on March 23, 1979. ([Federal Judicial Center](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/kravitch-phyllis))
What made Kravitch's 1979 Fifth Circuit appointment historically important?
She became the first woman appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Her appointment was part of the federal judiciary's broader expansion of women's representation during the Carter presidency. ([Federal Judicial Center](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/kravitch-phyllis))
Why is Phyllis A. Kravitch also associated with the Eleventh Circuit?
On October 1, 1981, Kravitch was reassigned to a new Eleventh Circuit seat when that court was established. She assumed senior status on December 31, 1996, and remained an appellate judge until her death in 2017. ([Federal Judicial Center](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/kravitch-phyllis))
What did Kravitch do before becoming a federal circuit judge?
She practiced law privately in Savannah, Georgia, from 1944 to 1976, then served on Georgia's Superior Court for the Eastern Judicial Circuit from 1977 to 1979. She earned a B.A. from Goucher College in 1941 and an LL.B. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1943. ([Federal Judicial Center](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/kravitch-phyllis))
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