William E. Smith (judge)

Smith received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University in 1982 and his Juris Doctor cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 1987.

He was in private practice in Providence, Rhode Island, from 1987 until 2000. From 1993 until 1998, he was also a part-time judge in the town of West Warwick. Smith was the staff director of the Rhode Island office of United States Senator Lincoln Chafee from 2000 until 2001. From 2001 to 2002, he returned to private practice in Providence.

From 2001 to 2002, Smith was an adjunct professor at Providence College. He currently{{when?|date=December 2023}} teaches as an adjunct professor at Roger Williams University School of Law.

Smith was nominated by President George W. Bush on July 18, 2002, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island vacated by Ronald R. Lagueux. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 14, 2002, and received his commission on November 15, 2002. He was the chief judge from November 30, 2013 to November 30, 2019.{{FJC Bio|nid=1391696|inline=yes}} Smith assumed senior status on January 1, 2025.{{Cite press release|title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE WILLIAM E. SMITH TO TAKE SENIOR STATUS JANUARY 1, 2025|url=https://www.rid.uscourts.gov/sites/rid/files/Smith%20Senior.pdf|website=rid.uscourts.gov|access-date=June 28, 2023}}{{Cite news|last=White|first=Tim|title=Longtime federal judge William Smith to step back from full-time case work|url=https://www.wpri.com/target-12/longtime-federal-judge-william-smith-to-step-back-from-fulltime-case-work/|website=wpri.com|access-date=June 28, 2023|language=en}}

Smith was nominated on December 6, 2007, by President George W. Bush to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit vacated by Judge Bruce M. Selya, who assumed senior status on December 31, 2006. Rhode Island's two Democratic senators, Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, both of whom had been cut out of Smith's selection by the White House,[http://www.afj.org/assets/resources/nominees/william-smith-fact-sheet.pdf "William Smith Fact Sheet - Bush’s Nominee to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit"] (PDF). Federal Judicial Center. March 18, 2008. issued a lukewarm joint response to the nomination: "Before giving someone a lifetime appointment to the federal bench we need to carefully review their record. We will be sure to give Judge Smith’s nomination thorough and independent review." Previously, Whitehouse had suggested in September 2007 that the Senate should not consider any Bush appointment for the First Circuit that late in the president’s term.John E. Mulligan and G. Wayne Miller, [http://www.projo.com/news/content/smith_nomination_12-07-07_2C85UO4_v18.28bcfaf.html Bush selects Smith for U.S. appeals court], The Providence Journal (December 7, 2007). On January 2, 2009, his nomination was returned to the president under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate.{{Cite web |date=January 2, 2009 |title=PN1117 — William E. Smith — The Judiciary |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/110th-congress/1117 |access-date=December 15, 2023 |website=congress.gov}}

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{{s-bef|before=Ronald Rene Lagueux}}

{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island}}|years=2002–2025}}

{{s-aft|after=Melissa R. DuBose}}

{{s-bef|before=Mary M. Lisi}}

{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island}}|years=2013–2019}}

{{s-aft|after=John J. McConnell Jr.}}

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Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:Georgetown University alumni

Category:Georgetown University Law Center alumni

Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island

Category:Lawyers from Boise, Idaho

Category:Providence College faculty

Category:United States district court judges appointed by George W. Bush