TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Apr 11, 2024

U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger earned a reputation as a tough prosecutor after convicting a former Tennessee governor during her stint at the U.S. attorney’s office. The 1981 case, which dealt with selling liquor licenses to political friends, gave her credibility in a male-dominated space. “It really set me up as a woman who was tough and could do litigation,” said Trauger, who serves in the Middle District of Tennessee. From helping to form the Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women to becoming the first female district judge in the Middle District of Tennessee, Trauger has been a trailblazer for women’s advancement in the law. A new video profile from the U.S. Courts explores her unlikely journey.