Background
Raggio, Louise Ballerstedt was born on June 15, 1919 in Austin, Texas, United States. Daughter of Louis F. and Hilma (Lindgren) Ballerstedt.
Raggio, Louise Ballerstedt was born on June 15, 1919 in Austin, Texas, United States. Daughter of Louis F. and Hilma (Lindgren) Ballerstedt.
Bachelor, University Texas, 1939. Student, American University Washington, 1940. Juris Doctor, Southern Methodist University, 1952.
She was the first female prosecutor in Dallas County, Texas. She spearheaded a coalition to establish the Marital Property Act of 1967, and the Texas Family Code. During her years of raising three sons she attended Southern Methodist University at night earning her law degree by 1952.
Louise Raggio found a job working as an assistant district attorney in Dallas County in 1954 and was put in charge of child support, delinquent fathers, juvenile court and family law. While working as a prosecutor, she learned that married women had fewer rights in Texas than single women, i.e. married women in Texas had limited property rights and couldn't take out bank loans or start their own businesses without their husband's approval. One of her quotes in the KERA Texas TrailerBlazer about her sums up the situation of a woman at the altar in Texas: "When a man and woman got married, they were one, and he was the one."
Louise Raggio began to fight for the rights of women and became the first female prosecutor in Dallas County, Texas.
Louise Raggio died on January 23, 2011.
Secretary Governor's Commission on Status of Women, 1970-1971. Trustee Texas Bar Foundation, 1982-1986, chairman, 1984-1985, chairman fellows, since 1993, Dallas Women's Foundation, since 1993, National Conference Bar Foundations, 1986-1992. Fellow American Bar Foundation.
Member American Bar Association (chairman family section 1975-1976, Best Woman Lawyer award 1995, Lifetime Achievement award 2002), League of Women Voters (president Austin 1945-1946), State Bar Texas (chairman family law section 1965-1967, director 1979-1982, citation for law reform 1967, President's award 1987, Sarah T. Hughes award 1993, named one of 100 Texas Lawyers of Century, 1999, 50 Year Lawyer award 2003), Dallas Bar Foundation (president fellow committee 1991), American Academy Matrimonial Lawyers (governor 1973-1981, trustee foundation since 1992), Business and Professional Women's Club (president Town North 1958-1959), Phi Beta Kappa (president Dallas chapter 1970-1971, 90-92).
Married Grier H. Raggio, April 19, 1941. Children: Grier, Thomas, Kenneth.