Edward G. Smith
Smith in 2014
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
In office
March 31, 2014 – November 27, 2023
Appointed byBarack Obama
Preceded byBerle M. Schiller
Succeeded byvacant
Personal details
Born(1961-09-17)September 17, 1961
Fort Knox, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedNovember 27, 2023(2023-11-27) (aged 62)
Political partyRepublican[1]
SpouseJennifer Ireland
Children3
EducationFranklin & Marshall College (BA)
Pennsylvania State University (JD)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1984–1990 (active)
1990–2023 (reserves)
Rank Captain
UnitJudge Advocate General's Corps
CommandsNaval Reserve Naval Justice School
AwardsBronze Star

Edward George Smith (September 17, 1961 – November 27, 2023) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Background

Smith received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983 from Franklin and Marshall College. He received a Juris Doctor, cum laude, in 1986 from Penn State Dickinson Law. He was a twenty seven-year veteran of the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps, holding the rank of Captain and served as Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Naval Justice School. He has served as a military trial judge and military appellate judge and earned the Bronze Star for service in Iraq without V device for valor. He began his career as an Assistant Force Judge Advocate in Norfolk, Virginia and then served as a Senior Trial Defense Counsel for two years in Philadelphia, representing Navy and Marine personnel in various matters. From 1990 to 2002, he was a partner at the law firm of DeRaymond & Smith in Easton, Pennsylvania. From 2002 to 2014, he served on the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas in Northampton County, handling both civil and criminal matters.[2][3]

Smith ran for Congress as a conservative Republican in 1996, seeking to represent Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district.[4] He lost the Republican primary.[5]

Federal judicial service

On August 1, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Smith to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to the seat vacated by Judge Berle M. Schiller, who assumed senior status on June 18, 2012.[2] Smith was nominated as part of a bipartisan package of judicial nominees which included Gerald McHugh.[6] On January 16, 2014, his nomination was reported out of committee by a voice vote.[7] On March 13, 2014 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed a motion to invoke cloture on the nomination. On March 26, 2014, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 75–23 vote.[8] He was confirmed later that day by a 69–31 vote.[9] Notably, he received more "aye" votes from Republican senators than from Democratic senators.[4] He received his commission on March 31, 2014.[3]

In August 2017, Smith upheld a Boyertown Area School District policy guaranteeing transgender students use of their preferred locker room.[10][11]

Personal life and death

Smith was married to Jennifer Ireland and had three sons and two stepsons.[12] He was from Easton, Pennsylvania, where he attended Easton Area High School; at the time of his death, he was a resident of nearby Plainfield Township.[13]

Smith died on November 27, 2023, at the age of 62.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Voruganti, Harsh (March 31, 2017). "Understanding Blue Slips: What Are They and Why Do They Matter?". The Vetting Room. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "President Obama Nominates Six to Serve on the United States District Courts". whitehouse.gov. August 1, 2013 – via National Archives.
  3. 1 2 Edward G. Smith at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  4. 1 2 Itkowitz, Colby (March 26, 2014). "A first? GOP majority vote on Obama judge nominee". Washington Post. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Kilbanks tallies upset victory in 15th District". The Morning Call. April 24, 1996. p. B2. Retrieved November 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ https://www.casey.senate.gov/news/releases/casey-toomey-applaud-nomination-of-mchugh-smith-to-us-district-court-for-the-eastern-district
  7. ↑ "Executive Business Meeting" (PDF). United States Senate. Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  8. ↑ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Edward G. Smith, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge)". United States Senate. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  9. ↑ "On the Nomination (Confirmation Edward G. Smith, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge)". Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  10. ↑ Note, Recent Case: Third Circuit Holds that Allowing Transgender Students to Use Their Preferred Sex-Segregated Spaces Does Not Violate Cisgender Students’ Right to Privacy, 132 Harv. L. Rev. 2058 (2019).
  11. ↑ Doe ex rel. Doe v. Boyertown Area School District, 897 F. Supp. 3d 324 (E.D. Pa. 2017).
  12. ↑ "The Honorable Edward G. Smith". Legacy.com. The Express-Times. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  13. 1 2 Miller, Rudy (November 28, 2023). "Easton-based U.S. District Judge Edward G. Smith has died". The Express-Times. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
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