Bredesen Appoints Smith Circuit Court Judge

NASHVILLE – Governor Phil Bredesen today appointed Philip E. Smith of Madison, Tenn., to the Tennessee Circuit Court for the Twentieth Judicial District, Division IV. Smith will fill a vacancy created by Judge Muriel Robinson’s recent announcement of her plans to retire. The 20th Judicial District serves Davidson County.

 

“Phil Smith has developed extensive civil trial experience in his career, and I am confident he will carry out his duties on the circuit court in the same thoughtful and professional manner in which he has practiced law in Tennessee for more than 20 years,” said Bredesen. “I congratulate Phil on his new position and appreciate his willingness to serve the citizens of Tennessee in this capacity.”

 

Prior to his appointment to the circuit court, Smith served as a solo practitioner in Nashville. From 1988 to 1990, he served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Office of the District Attorney for the 20^th Judicial District. Smith obtained a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Tennessee State University, and received his doctor of jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

 

“I have reached a point in my life where I would like to return something to the judicial system that has been so rewarding to me,” Smith said. “To be chosen as a successor to Judge Robinson is an extraordinary honor, and I am profoundly grateful to Governor Bredesen for allowing me to serve the citizens of the 20^th Judicial District in this role.”

 

Smith is a member of both the Tennessee and Nashville Bar Associations. He was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in 2007, and has been listed in “Best Lawyers in America” in the family law category for 2007 and 2008. Smith is currently serving his second three year term as a hearing panel member for the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Responsibility. Smith is married and has two children.