Without Precedent: The Life of Susie Marshall Sharp

“Extremely well written and meticulously documented. It presents a vivid portrait of a highly intelligent, courageous woman who braved many personal tragedies while carving a place of honor in the state’s judiciary history.” — A.C. Snow, Raleigh News & Observer

“[An] outstanding and revealing biography. . . . A fascinating account of Sharp’s extraordinary professional life. . . . A compelling read, and one that makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of North Carolina in the 20th century and the woman who changed our judiciary forever.” — Jack Betts, Charlotte Observer

“An engaging book. . . . Author Anna Hayes is both a historian and a lawyer, which is a winning combination in chronicling the life of one of the most outstanding jurists North Carolina has ever produced.” — Charles Blackburn Jr., Our State

“It is the complexity of the portrait that makes Hayes’ biography fascinating to those who thought they already knew Susie Sharp.” — Carolina Alumni Review

“Glowing praise may not sufficiently describe the merit of this book and the high standard it sets as an example of how to tell the story of an important person.” — D.G Martin, Raleigh News & Observer

“Presents Sharp’s career as an attorney, judge and politician within the context of the social mores, the legal profession and political battles of her day, and illuminates it with a revealing examination of Sharp’s family background, personality and rich private life.” — Carolina Country

“[Hayes] holds little back, but does not sensationalize the more startling facets of Sharp’s life. . . . Hayes captures a woman who made numerous sacrifices for her career and enjoyed numerous successes.” — Salisbury Post

“More than the stars aligned — more like constellations — for the fascinating and definitive biography of the first woman to serve as Chief Justice of a state Supreme Court to be written.” — Metro Magazine

“Hayes tells [Susie Marshall Sharp’s] story beautifully.” — The Cullman Tribune

“Hayes tells [Sharp’s] story beautifully.” — Greene County Independent

Without Precedent may not be the book that Anna Hayes expected to write about Susie Marshall Sharp. It is, however, a meticulously researched, beautifully written, and courageous biography of one of the most respected and influential American women of the twentieth century. Drawing upon voluminous resource materials, including Judge Sharp’s detailed personal journals and letters, Ms. Hayes tells the story of the life and times of one of North Carolina’s most accomplished citizens. From her childhood days in Reidsville, as the oldest child of an attorney, through her retirement from the office of chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, Judge Sharp’s unprecedented achievements and the challenges she encountered as a trail blazing woman lawyer, superior court judge, and supreme court justice in the male-dominated legal profession and political arena of her era are expertly chronicled in a nonjudgmental manner. Skillfully woven into this fascinating story are intimate details of Judge Sharp’s ambitions, fears, prejudices, insecurities, and yes, the loves of her life. Confronted with Judge Sharp’s journals and letters–which revealed a life much more complex than her public persona–Ms. Hayes must have struggled with what to reveal and what to omit. Is this biography an intrusive invasion of the private life of a well respected public figure or a humanizing and inspirational portrait of the Judge? Regardless of how each reader may answer that question, this story of the life of Susie Sharp is a powerful and uplifting reminder that wisdom, intelligence, ability, determination, ambition, compassion, political acumen, and devotion to justice are not gender specific.–E. Garrett Walker, Clerk to Chief Justice Susie Sharp, Supreme Court of North Carolina, fall 1975 to spring 1976