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Rodney Smith (Florida)
Rodney Smith is a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. On May 7, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Smith to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.[1] The U.S. Senate confirmed Smith on June 12, 2019, by a vote of 78-18.[2] He received commission on June 14, 2019.[3] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida is one of 94 U.S. district courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.
Smith was a judge on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Florida from 2012 to 2019. He was appointed to the court by Governor Rick Scott (R) in July 2012.[4]
Judicial nominations, appointments, and elections
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
On May 7, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Smith to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.[1] The U.S. Senate confirmed Smith on June 12, 2019, by a vote of 78-18.[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: Rodney Smith |
| Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 401 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: May 7, 2018
|
| ABA Rating: Unanimously Qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: October 17, 2018
|
| QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported: February 7, 2019
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| Confirmed: June 12, 2019
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| Vote: 78-18
|
Confirmation vote
The U.S. Senate confirmed Smith on June 12, 2019, on a vote of 78-18.[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.
| Smith confirmation vote (June 12, 2019) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Yea | Nay | No vote | ||||||
 Democratic |
26 | 18 | 1 | ||||||
 Republican |
51 | 0 | 2 | ||||||
 Independent |
1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 78 | 18 | 4 | ||||||
Change in Senate rules
Smith was confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.
On April 3, 2019, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a change to chamber precedent lowering the maximum time allowed for debate on executive nominees to posts below the Cabinet level and on nominees to district court judgeships from 30 hours after invoking cloture to two.[5]
The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.[6]
It was the third use of the nuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to the Supreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.[7] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Smith's nomination on October 17, 2018.[8]
The Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported Smith's nomination on February 7, 2019.[9] Click here to see how the committee voted. Smith's nomination was one of 44 that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) reported that day.
Nomination
On May 7, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Smith to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.[1] Smith was nominated to succeed Judge Robin Rosenbaum, who was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit on June 3, 2014.[2]
At the sine die adjournment of the 115th Congress on January 3, 2019, the Senate returned Smith's nomination to President Trump.[10] Smith was one of 51 individuals the president re-nominated on January 23, 2019.[11]
The American Bar Association rated Smith unanimously qualified for the position.[12] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
Florida 11th Circuit Court (2012-2019)
- See also: Judges appointed by Rick Scott
Smith was a judge on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Florida from 2012 to 2019. He was appointed to the court by Governor Rick Scott (R) in July 2012, and he won re-election on November 4, 2014.[4][13] His current six-year term expires in 2021.[14]
2014 election
- See also: Florida judicial elections, 2014
Smith ran for re-election to the Eleventh Circuit Court.
Primary: He was elected in the primary on August 26, 2014, receiving 62.8 percent of the vote. He competed against Christian Carrazana.
Smith was supported by a political action committee created by Miami’s United Auto Insurance, which spent over $300,000 between his campaign and the campaign of Miami-Dade County Court Judge Nuria Saenz.[14][15]
Miami-Dade County Court (2008-2012)
Smith was a judge in the Miami-Dade County Court in Florida from 2008 to 2012.[16]
Education
Smith received his B.S. from Florida A&M University in 1996 and his J.D. from Michigan State University in 1999.[17]
Professional career
- 2019-present: Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- 2012-2019: Judge, Florida 11th Circuit Court
- 2015-2019: Civil division
- 2012-2015: Criminal division
- 2008-2012: Judge, Miami-Dade County Court
- 2007-2008: Senior assistant city attorney, Office of the Miami Beach City Attorney
- 2004-2007: Senior trial attorney, Law Office of Rebecca W. Ribler
- 2003-2004: Attorney, McGrane Nosich & Ganz, P.A.
- 1999-2003: Assistant state attorney, Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office[16]
About the court
| Southern District of Florida |
|---|
| Eleventh Circuit |
|
| Judgeships |
| Posts: 18 |
| Judges: 17 |
| Vacancies: 1 |
| Judges |
| Chief: Cecilia Altonaga |
| Active judges: Roy Altman, Cecilia Altonaga, Jacqueline Becerra, Beth Bloom, Aileen Cannon, Melissa Damian, William Dimitrouleas, Darrin P. Gayles, David Leibowitz, Jose E. Martinez, Donald Middlebrooks, Kevin M. Moore, Robin L. Rosenberg, Rodolfo Ruiz, Anuraag Singhal, Rodney Smith, Kathleen M. Williams Senior judges: |
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida is one of 94 United States district courts. The district operates out of courthouses in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Fort Pierce. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit based in downtown Atlanta at the Elbert P. Tuttle Federal Courthouse.
The Southern District of Florida has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
The district includes the South Florida metropolitan area of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Pierce, Miami and West Palm Beach. It comprises 15,197 square miles and approximately 6.3 million people. Court offices are in Miami, Florida.[18]
The following counties are in the Southern District of Florida:
To read opinions published by this court, click here.
The federal nomination process
Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:
- The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
- The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
- As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
- After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
- If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
- If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
- The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
- If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
- If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.
See also
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
- Florida judicial elections, 2014
- Florida judicial elections
- Eleventh Circuit Court
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
- Florida 11th Judicial Circuit
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Thirteenth Wave of Judicial Nominees and Seventh Wave of United States Marshal Nominees," April 26, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Congress.gov, "PN252 — Rodney Smith — The Judiciary," accessed June 13, 2019
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Smith, Rodney," accessed June 17, 2019
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sunshine State News, "Judges Cristina Miranda, Rodney Smith Appointed to 11th Judicial Circuit," July 2, 2012
- ↑ The Hill, "GOP triggers 'nuclear option' to speed up Trump picks," April 3, 2019
- ↑ Axios, "Senate GOP invokes 'nuclear option' to speed up confirmations of Trump nominees," April 3, 2019
- ↑ NBC News, "McConnell to use 'nuclear option' to confirm lower-level nominees," April 2, 2019
- ↑ Congress.gov, "PN1899 — Rodney Smith — The Judiciary," accessed October 29, 2018
- ↑ U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," February 7, 2019
- ↑ Under Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate, pending nominations are returned to the president if the Senate adjourns sine die or recesses for more than 30 days. Congressional Research Service, "Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor Procedure," April 11, 2017
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Nominations Sent to the Senate," January 23, 2019
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees, 115th Congress," accessed October 29, 2018
- ↑ Florida 11th Judicial Circuit: "Judge Cristina Miranda,"This link is temporarily inactive
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Florida Election Watch (Division of Elections), "2014 Primary Election Results - Circuit Court Judges," accessed August 27, 2014
- ↑ Florida Secretary of State, “Candidate Listing for 2014 General Election,” accessed May 5, 2014
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees: Rodney Smith," accessed June 13, 2019
- ↑ Kappa Journal, Smith appointed to Circuit Court judge, date accessed December 16, 2013
- ↑ United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, "Official Website," accessed September 23, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida 2019-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Florida 11th Circuit Court 2012-2019 |
Succeeded by - |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active judges |
Chief Judge: Cecilia Altonaga • Jose E. Martinez (Florida) • Kevin M. Moore (Florida) • Donald Middlebrooks • William Dimitrouleas • Robin L. Rosenberg • Beth Bloom • Darrin P. Gayles • Kathleen M. Williams • Anuraag Singhal • Rodolfo Ruiz • Rodney Smith (Florida) • Roy Altman • Aileen Cannon • Jacqueline Becerra • Melissa Damian • David Leibowitz (Florida) | ||
| Senior judges |
Federico Moreno • James L. King • Jose Gonzalez (Florida) • Donald Graham • Daniel Hurley • Paul Huck • Patricia Seitz • William Zloch • Joan Lenard • Kenneth Marra • James Cohn • Robert N. Scola, Jr. • | ||
| Magistrate judges | John O'Sullivan (Florida) • Edwin Torres • Chris McAliley • William C. Turnoff • Lurana S. Snow • Jonathan Goodman • Alicia Otazo-Reyes • William Matthewman • Alicia O. Valle • Patrick M. Hunt • Bruce Reinhart • Lauren Fleischer Louis • Jared Strauss • Shaniek Maynard • Lisette M. Reid • | ||
| Former Article III judges |
George C. Young • William Hoeveler • Kenneth Ryskamp • Alan Gold • Adalberto Jordan • Ursula Ungaro • James Paine (Florida) • Stanley Marcus • William Marvin • Thomas Jefferson Boynton (Florida) • Peter Fay • David Dyer • James William Locke • John McKinney (Florida) • John Moses Cheney • Rhydon Mays Call • Alexander Akerman • Lake Jones • Halsted Lockwood Ritter • Louie Willard Strum • John Warthen Holland • Joseph Lieb • William McRae • Curtis Waller • George Whitehurst • Sidney Aronovitz • Carl Atkins • Ted Cabot • Emett Choate • Edward Davis (Florida) • Dozier DeVane • Joseph Eaton • Wilkie Ferguson • Charles Fulton • James Kehoe • William Mehrtens • Lenore Nesbitt • Norman Roettger • Thomas Scott (Florida district court judge) • Eugene Spellman • Robin Rosenbaum • John Bryan Simpson • William Julius Barker • Alcee Hastings • | ||
| Former Chief judges |
Federico Moreno • James L. King • Kevin M. Moore (Florida) • William Zloch • David Dyer • Louie Willard Strum • John Warthen Holland • George Whitehurst • Carl Atkins • Edward Davis (Florida) • Joseph Eaton • Charles Fulton • Norman Roettger • John Bryan Simpson • William Julius Barker • | ||
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida
State courts:
Florida Supreme Court • Florida District Courts of Appeal • Florida Circuit Court • Florida County Court
State resources:
Courts in Florida • Florida judicial elections • Judicial selection in Florida
