Rodney Smith (born 1974) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Biography
Smith received a Bachelor of Science from Florida A&M University in 1996, cum laude. He earned his Juris Doctor in 1999 from Michigan State University, also cum laude.
Smith served as an Assistant State Attorney for the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's office from 1999 to 2003. He then was in private practice from 2003 to 2007. From 2007 to 2008, he served as a Senior Assistant City Attorney for the city of Miami Beach. Governor Charlie Crist appointed him in 2008 to preside as a judge of the Miami-Dade County Court, where he served until 2012. Governor Rick Scott appointed him to the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in 2012, where he served until his elevation to the federal bench in 2019.Resignation Letter — June 13, 2019
Federal judicial service
Smith was mentioned as a potential judicial nominee in February 2018. On April 26, 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Smith to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. On May 7, 2018, his nomination was sent to the Senate. He was nominated to the seat vacated by Judge Robin S. Rosenbaum, who was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on June 2, 2014."Fifteen Nominations Sent to the Senate Today" White House, May 7, 2018 On October 17, 2018, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for October 17, 2018
On January 3, 2019, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. On January 23, 2019, President Trump announced his intent to renominate Smith for a federal judgeship."President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Judicial Nominees", White House, January 23, 2019 His nomination was sent to the Senate later that day."Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, January 23, 2019 On February 7, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 17–5 vote.Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 7, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee On June 11, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 77–19 vote.On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Rodney Smith, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida), United States Senate, June 11, 2019 On June 12, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by a 78–18 vote.On the Nomination (Confirmation Rodney Smith, of Florida, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida), United States Senate, June 12, 2019 He received his judicial commission on June 14, 2019.
See also List of African-American federal judges List of African-American jurists
References
External links