BIDDEFORD — Those who have been inside one of the main courtrooms at Biddeford District Court have seen them hanging on the walls: Stately portrait paintings of the judges and jurists who have made a significant impact on the Maine judicial system. Each commemorates a lasting legacy, but until Tuesday, all of the subjects portrayed had one thing in common: All were men.

Now that’s changed.

Active-retired judge Marilyn Stavros, who has filled several roles in a legal career lasting more than 30 years, became the first woman to have her portrait displayed inside a Maine courtroom. A new portrait unveiling is typically cause for a celebratory gathering, but Tuesday’s event inside the Biddeford courtroom buzzed with the added excitement of a gender barrier now broken.

“It’s through these portraits ”¦ that we honor those who have served the public,” said Maine District Court Judge Andre Janelle. “In a digital age such as the one we have now, these portraits are a lasting tribute.”

Joined by her husband, children, siblings and friends, Stavros smiled and laughed her way through a volley of stories and remembrances shared by her associates in the legal profession, including some with whom she attended the Maine School of Law.

Leigh Ingalls Saufley, chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, who graduated with Stavros in 1980, recalled that they were part of a group dubbed the “Ladies of ’80,” five of whom served or currently serve on the bench in Maine. Sutton remembered that Stavros was older than the rest of the group ”“ she was in her 30s at the time, looking to switch careers from chemistry and biology to law ”“ and marveled at Stavros’ ability to juggle multiple responsibilities, including marriage, family and her education. The two were reintroduced years later when Stavros served as a magistrate.

“She was smart,” said Saufley. “She was calm. She was unflappably funny. (And) she was one of the very best family adjudicators the State of Maine had ever seen.”

That, said Judge Jon Levy of the U.S. District Court, was because of her ability to be fair and understanding, but also “tough as nails” when necessary.

“Families not only received justice ”“ they experienced it,” said Levy. “Marilyn gets people. She can communicate with people no matter their life circumstances or their level of education. Plus, she’s just plain fun.”

Stavros filled many different roles in her law career, including a nine-year stint in the attorney general’s office. After serving as a magistrate, she was appointed as a judge by then-Governor John Baldacci in 2005. She became an active-retired judge in 2009.

Judge Christine Foster of Biddeford District Court also attended law school with Stavros, and worked with her years later in the attorney general’s office. She said it was only years after school had ended, when she had a family of her own, that she fully appreciated Stavros’ ability to handle heavy coursework in addition to raising children and helping to manage a large and active family.

“She was trying to balance all that,” said Foster. “It was only when I got older that I realized, ”˜Gosh, that’s hard to do.’”

When Stavros thanked her colleagues and loved ones for attending the ceremony, she shared some of her personal history. A child of divorced parents, she and her mother lived with her grandmother when Stavros was young, and it was an experience that she brought with her to the legal profession, particularly during her work with families.

“From there, you form an acute understanding of how important stability is for a child,” said Stavros.

She expressed gratitude that she was able to touch peoples’ lives in a positive way, and that she was deemed worthy of the honor of having her portrait displayed for posterity.

“It’s a real capstone to my career,” she said. “I feel honored, humbled, and ”“ I’ll say it ”“ proud.”

— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 319 or jlagasse@journaltribune.com.