Dakota Datebook: Justice Beryl Levine Thursday, March 2, 2023

Prairie Public

Four women have served on the North Dakota Supreme Court. The first was Beryl Levine, appointed by Governor George Sinner in 1985. Voters later elected and re-elected Levine to the court. She served 11 years on the court, and retired on this date in 1996.

She is remembered for her passion for equality and fairness.

In a divorce appeal in 1985, Levine criticized a lower court for not treating a wife’s working contributions the same as her husband’s. She wrote: “While a husband and wife may often themselves decide that the ‘working wife’ bear the brunt of the responsibilities of managing home and children, thereby in fact fulfilling two jobs, home and work, the law should not and indeed does not impose any such duties on either working spouse.”

Read more at: https://news.prairiepublic.org/podcast/dakota-datebook/2023-03-01/march-1-justice-beryl-levine