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In the 1860s, women could not become lawyers under Illinois law. Nonetheless, in 1869, Myra Bradwell passed the Illinois bar exam, the test required to become a lawyer. When she formally applied to practice law, the state rejected her request. At the time, married women were not permitted to sign contracts or conduct other legal actions without the consent of their husband. Therefore, the state argued that married women could not be lawyers since they would have to rely on the assent of their spouses when interacting with clients or the courts.