Edward G Smith

Biography

Smith received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983 from Franklin and Marshall College. He received a Juris Doctor, cum laude, in 1986 from Dickinson School of Law at Penn State University. He is a twenty seven-year veteran of the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps, holding the rank of Captain and currently serves 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. 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.

Federal judicial service

On August 1, 2013, President 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 took senior status on June 18, 2012. On January 16, 2014 his nomination was reported out of committee. On March 13, 2014 Senate Majority Leader Reid filed a motion to invoke cloture on the nomination. On March 26, 2014, cloture was invoked on the nomination in a 75-23 vote. He was later confirmed that same day by a vote of 69-31. Notably, Judge Smith received more "aye" votes from Republican senators than from Democratic senators.