Rodney Smith (judge)

{{Infobox judge

| name = Rodney Smith

| image = Rodney Smith (Judge) (cropped).jpg

| office = Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

| appointer = Donald Trump

| term_start = June 14, 2019

| term_end =

| predecessor = Robin S. Rosenbaum

| successor =

| office1 = Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida

| appointer1 = Rick Scott

| term_start1 = July 2012

| term_end1 = June 13, 2019

| predecessor1 = Scott J. Silverman

| successor1 = William Altfield

| office2 = Judge of the Miami-Dade County Court

| appointer2 = Charlie Crist

| term_start2 = May 2008

| term_end2 = July 2012

| predecessor2 =

| successor2 =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|12|16}}

| birth_place = Orlando, Florida, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| education = Florida A&M University (BS)
Michigan State University (JD)

| party =

}}

Rodney Smith (born December 16, 1974){{Cite web |url=http://www.lawdiary.com/docs/subscribers/FL_Judicial_Biographies.pdf |title=BIOGRAPHIES OF STATE AND COUNTY COURT JUDGES IN FLORIDA |date=June 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730052812/http://www.lawdiary.com/docs/subscribers/FL_Judicial_Biographies.pdf |archive-date=July 30, 2017 |access-date=June 27, 2019}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-reg-trump-nominations-federal-judges-20180213-story.html|title=Trump names his top three picks for federal judge in South Florida|first=Paula|last=McMahon|date=February 13, 2018|website=Sun-Sentinel|publisher=|access-date=February 15, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.jud11.flcourts.org/Judge-Details?judgeid=890§ionid=195|title=Judge Details|author=|date=|website=Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida|access-date=February 15, 2018}}

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.[https://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/judicial/Resignation%20Letter-%20ADA%20Smith.pdf Resignation Letter — June 13, 2019]

Federal judicial service

Smith was mentioned as a potential judicial nominee in February 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2018/02/13/trump-taps-3-new-judges-in-federal-district-overseeing-mar-a-lago-250044|title=Trump taps 3 new judges in federal district overseeing Mar-a-Lago|first=Marc|last=Caputo|date=February 13, 2018|website=Politico|publisher=|access-date=February 15, 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.{{cite web |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-thirteenth-wave-judicial-nominees-seventh-wave-united-states-marshal-nominees/ |title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Thirteenth Wave of Judicial Nominees and Seventh Wave of United States Marshal Nominees |last= |first= |date=April 26, 2018 |access-date=April 26, 2018 |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |quote=}} {{PD-notice}} 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.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/fifteen-nominations-sent-senate-today-2/ "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.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/10/17/2018/nominations 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.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-judicial-nominees/ "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.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/nominations-sent-senate-2/ "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.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/02.07.2019%20Results%20of%20Executive%20Business%20Meeting1.pdf 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.[https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00152 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.[https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00157 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.{{FJC Bio|nid=6595041|inline=yes}}