Year Honored: 2013

Biography

The Honorable Jane Richards Roth comes from a long line of lawyers, going back to her great-grandfather. Roth graduated from Smith College in 1956 with little interest in continuing the family career path. Instead, she joined the U.S State Department’s Foreign Service as a clerk-typist, working in Iran, modern-day Zimbabwe, and the Republic of Congo from 1956 to 1962.

When she “grew tired of typing,” Roth decided to attend Harvard Law School. She graduated in 1965, one of only 23 women to do so. Roth returned home to Wilmington and embarked on a 52-year legal career.

She was the first female attorney at the firm her grandfather started, ‘Richards, Layton, & Fingers,’ as well as one of ten women in the Delaware Bar. She was also the first woman to make partner at any major Delaware law firm.

As a litigator, Roth became increasingly interested in medical malpractice suits. She spent 20 years as an attorney, before her nomination by President Ronald Reagan to the U.S District Court in 1985. Judge Jordan, who appeared before Roth as an attorney, called her “a completely fair, no nonsense judge… [and it was a] real treat to appear before her.” Other colleagues remarked on her complete control of the courtroom.

In 1991, Roth was appointed to the Third Circuit Court of Appeal. She assumed Senior Status in 2006 and is one of the most active Senior Appellate Judges in the country, taking on almost a full caseload and frequently sitting in on other circuits. Roth has also mentored over 100 clerks, including Delaware Senator Chris Coons.
Roth was married to the late Senator William Roth Jr. for 38 years. They had two children, and now five grandchildren.
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Sources and Additional Readings

Federal Judicial Center. Roth, Jane Richards | Federal Judicial Center. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2022, from https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/roth-jane-richards

Kurtz, H. (1985, May 24). Sen. Roth's wife picked to be a federal judge. The Washington Post. Retrieved January 18, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1985/05/24/sen-roths-wife-picked-to-be-a-federal-judge/ab7e95c8-51ac-492f-a4fc-61b076ce8089/

William V. Roth Jr., veteran of U.S. Senate, dies at 82 ... (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/15/us/william-v-roth-jr-veteran-of-us-senate-dies-at-82.html