JUDICIAL BIOGRAPHY
Year appointed to the bench: 2017, Governor Rick Scott
Elected to County Court by Hillsborough County voters: August 28, 2018
Appointed to Circuit Court: 2019, Governor Ron DeSantis
JUDICIAL SERVICE
13th Judicial Circuit of Hillsborough County, County Court, June 2017 – September 2019
13th Judicial Circuit, Circuit Court, September 2019 - Present
ASSIGNMENTS
Domestic Violence, Division H and County Civil, Division K, June 2017 - June 2019
County Criminal, Division D, June 2019 – October 2019
Circuit Unified Family Court, Division A, October 2019 - Present
EDUCATION
Law School: Washburn University of Law
J.D., magna cum laude, 2000
Undergraduate: Fort Hays State University
B.B.A., Accounting,
summa cum laude, 1996
BIOGRAPHY
Judge Smith had the honor of serving from 2002 to 2006 in the U.S. Air Force as part of the Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG). Judge Smith joined the Air Force in response to a call to serve his country shortly after 9/11. While assigned to MacDill Air Force Base, Judge Smith was the Chief of Legal Assistance, helping manage the legal assistance needs of several thousand active duty and retired service members in the local area. Judge Smith also served as the Chief of Claims, and Chief of Adverse Actions. He obtained his certification under Article 27 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice as a U.S. Air Force Military Trial and Defense Counsel. During his military service, Judge Smith was appointed as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to prosecute civilian crimes in the Middle District of Florida and the Western District of Texas.
Immediately following law school, from 2000 to 2002, Judge Smith clerked for the Honorable Justice Edward J. Larson of the Kansas Supreme Court researching and directly assisting with the highest court’s decisions on several critical matters of first impression under state law.
Prior to being commissioned as a judge of the Hillsborough County Court, Judge Smith was a partner at the law firm of Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, P.A. There he represented contractors and homeowners involved in lien and contract disputes. He also handled product liability, retail hospitality and other construction cases involving significant personal injuries and/or property damage, as well as other commercial litigation and banking and finance matters.
CERTIFICATION
Board Certified Construction Law Specialist by the Florida Bar, 2014 (presently on inactive status)
HONORS
Heroes at Work Award Winner 2014 (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star 2010
Air Force Commendation Medal, 2006 (for meritorious service as a JAG officer at Goodfellow Air Force Base from 2005 to 2006)
Air Force Commendation Medal, 2005 (for meritorious service as a JAG officer at MacDill Air Force Base from 2002 to 2005)
Air Force Achievement Medal, 2004 (for outstanding legal assistance provided in the planning and execution of the first MacDill AirFest since 9/11)
National Defense Service Medal, 2002 (for service in the United States Armed forces during the Global War on Terrorism)