Janet Reno, first female US attorney general, was born in Miami, Florida, July 21, 1938 to Henry and Jane Wood Reno. Her father, a Danish immigrant, was a police reporter for the Miami Herald and moved his family to a 21 acre homestead near the Florida Everglades. Janet grew up at home in the wilderness, her mother having been a hunter and wrestler of alligators.

Reno became a state debating champion while in high school and attended Cornell University, studying chemistry and serving as president of the women's student government. Attending Harvard Law School, she graduated in 1963 as one of only 16 women in the class of 500 students.

Returning to Miami after graduation, she worked in private practice as a lawyer and as staff director of the Judiciary Committee of the Florida House of Representatives, to which she was appointed in 1971. After losing a bid for the state legislature, Reno took a position with the Florida state attorney's office, where she was assigned to reorganize the juvenile division.

Reno was elected state attorney in Dade County, Florida in 1978. Reno's tenure as state attorney was marred by riots over an unpopular verdict in 1980. Four Dade County police officers were prosecuted by Reno on charges of beating a black insurance salesman to death, but an all-white jury failed to convict, touching off riots from the community who thought the chief prosecutor had failed to prosecute aggressively enough. Outreach in the black community helped turn the rioters into some of Reno's strongest supporters.

Reno remain state attorney until 1993, when President Clinton appointed her US Attorney General. When Reno first received the call from the President, she declined the nomination, being burdened with the care of her ailing mother, whom she still lived with. After her mother's death in December, 1992, and Clinton's first two nominees had removed themselves from consideration, Reno accepted the post, becoming the first woman in history to hold the office.

Reno's tenure as US Attorney General was brought world-wide media attention during the stand off between self-anointed messiah David Koresh and officials of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. After 51 days, Reno called in tanks to invade the compound, with the plan being to drive the members of the cult out and save lives. Unfortunately, Koresh had other plans, and 85 people were ultimately killed as blazes set by cult members engulfed the compound in an inferno. Reno came under heavy criticism for was was termed her exceeding of bounds, but she accepted full responsibility for the plan and its consequences.

Reno continues to garner controversy in her wake, coming under fire for failing to hand over senior department memos during the Whitewater investigation. She also came under fire for her handling of the Ruby Ridge incident, but was praised for her operations during the Oklahoma bombing and for her advocacy of child abuse victims.

Reno has never married or had children, and calls herself, "...just an awkward old maid with a very great attraction to men." She continues to be extremely outspoken, and has a squeaky-clean reputation among both law officers and victims' rights advocates such as the ACLU. In 1995 she announced that she had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, but has thus far declined to become a spokesperson, although she continues to maintain her steady pace and is unwilling to allow the brain disorder to slow her down.

Reno has been offered many other judicial posts, such as a seat on Florida's Supreme Court. What her plans are after the Attorney General's office are unclear, but it's to be sure that she will continue to serve in some public capacity.