[1] She was also the first woman to serve as a member of the Montana Supreme Court, a position she held from September 1989 to 1991.
[4] Along with partner Doris Swords Poppler, she formed the first women's law firm in Montana.
[11] In 1989, Governor Stan Stephens appointed Barz as an associate justice of the Montana Supreme Court.
[12] In 1990, Barz resigned from the court rather than participate in a contested statewide election,[4] serving until 1991.
[3] She was described by the president of the State Bar of Montana as a "smart and competent judge who could be tough.
[9] Barz died in Billings, Montana of cancer,[3][13] which she was diagnosed with eight years earlier.