ballotpedia.org

Rodney Smith (Florida)

Rodney Smith

Image of Rodney Smith

United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Tenure

2019 - Present

Years in position

Prior offices

Florida 11th Circuit Court

Education

Contact

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.

Nomination Tracker

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
Confirmed: June 12, 2019
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

See also:

Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress

Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

United States federal courts

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: James Cohn, Jose Gonzalez, Donald Graham, Paul Huck, Daniel Hurley, James King, Joan Lenard, Kenneth Marra, Federico Moreno, Robert N. Scola Jr., Patricia Seitz, William Zloch

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.