Justice Leah Ward Sears: Seizing Serendipity

This brief but engaging biography shares many stories. First, it tells of Leah Ward Sears, who, in 1992, was the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court of Georgia, and in 2005, was the first African American woman to serve as chief justice of a state Supreme Court. It also tells the story of the United States in the 20th and 21st centuries, as it follows Sears and her family from the civil rights movement to the election of President Barack Obama and beyond. Davis (criminal justice & criminology, Georgia Southern Univ.) did extensive interviews with Sears and her family, friends, and colleagues, which paint an absorbing picture of Sears's personal and public life. The book also details Sears's judicial thought and discusses notable cases over which she presided, which is the account's most intriguing aspect. The author further discusses the politics of the Georgia judicial system and its impact on Sears's career.