---
title: "Jerry Edwin Smith | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/jerry-edwin-smith"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-10-09"
---

# Jerry Edwin Smith

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · U.S. Circuit Judge

## Profile

- Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- State: National federal courts
- Role: U.S. Circuit Judge
- Service status: active
- Last verified: 2026-07-25

## Summary

Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge.

## Biography

### Professional career

- Judge, Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1987-present
- American lawyer and jurist serving as a United States Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit since December 21, 1987
- Special Assistant Attorney General, State of Texas, TX, 1981-1982
- Director, Harris County Texas Housing Authority, TX, 1978-1980
- Law clerk to Hon. Halbert O. Woodward, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (1972–1973)
- Law Clerk to the Hon. Halbert O. Woodward, District Court, N.D. Texas, TX, 1972-1973

### Education

- B.A. in 1969, Yale University J.D. in 1972, Yale Law School

### Additional information

- Nominated by President Ronald Reagan on June 2, 1987, to a new seat created by 98 Stat.
- Confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 19, 1987; commissioned December 21, 1987
- City Attorney, City of Houston, Houston, TX, 1984-1987
- Chairman, Houston Texas Civil Service Commission, 1982-1984
- Practitioner, Private Practice, Houston, TX, 1973-1984
- Private practice in Houston, Texas (1973–1984)
- Born: November 7, 1946, in Del Rio, Texas
- Date of birth: 1946-11-07
- At Yale, he was a member of the Calliopean Society.
- Birth place: Del Rio, TX

## Before you appear

- Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed.
- Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance.
- Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding.

## Courtroom Rules

### appellate oral argument

Scope: courtwide

In federal courts of appeals, oral argument is allowed unless a three-judge panel unanimously finds one of Rule 34's specified grounds for dispensing with it; the clerk provides the date, time, place, and time allocation.

Evidence excerpt: Oral argument must be allowed in every case unless a panel of three judges who have examined the briefs and record unanimously agrees that oral argument is unnecessary

[Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure)
Source checked: 2026-07-26


## Sources

- [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1387971)
- [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1387971)
- [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1387971)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/3011/jerry-edwin-smith/)
- [Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/3011/jerry-edwin-smith/)
- [Wikidata: Jerry Edwin Smith](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6183541)

## JSON-LD

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@graph": [
    {
      "@type": "WebPage",
      "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/jerry-edwin-smith",
      "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/jerry-edwin-smith",
      "name": "Jerry Edwin Smith | KnowJudges",
      "description": "Jerry Edwin Smith, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.",
      "dateModified": "2026-10-09",
      "isPartOf": {
        "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website"
      },
      "mainEntity": {
        "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/jerry-edwin-smith#judge"
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/jerry-edwin-smith#judge",
      "name": "Jerry Edwin Smith",
      "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/jerry-edwin-smith",
      "jobTitle": "U.S. Circuit Judge",
      "worksFor": {
        "@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
        "name": "U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit"
      },
      "sameAs": [
        "https://www.fjc.gov/node/1387971",
        "https://www.courtlistener.com/person/3011/jerry-edwin-smith/"
      ],
      "birthDate": "1946-11-07",
      "birthPlace": "Del Rio, TX",
      "alumniOf": [
        {
          "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
          "name": "Yale University"
        },
        {
          "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
          "name": "Yale University"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
      "itemListElement": [
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 1,
          "name": "KnowJudges",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 2,
          "name": "National federal courts",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/national-federal-courts"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 3,
          "name": "Jerry Edwin Smith",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/jerry-edwin-smith"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```