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title: "Joel Smith | KnowJudges"
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# Joel Smith

Mississippi Court of Appeals · Judge

## Profile

- Court: Mississippi Court of Appeals
- State: Mississippi
- Role: Judge
- Service status: former
- Last verified: 2026-06-30

## Summary

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

## Biography

### Professional career

- Judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals, District 5, serving from January 2021 to January 2025, after a long career as a prosecutor in Mississippi’s Second Judicial District
- Appointed by Governor Tate Reeves on January 19, 2021 to serve as Position 2 Judge, District 5 of the Mississippi Court of Appeals
- 2012–2021: District Attorney, elected and re‐elected for three terms He also practiced corporate defense and premises liability litigation with Bryant, Clark, Dukes & Blakeslee before entering public service
- Assistant district attorney, Mississippi Second Judicial District, for eleven years; subsequently elected district attorney in 2011 and reelected twice
- He spent eleven years as an assistant district attorney before being elected district attorney in 2011 and winning two further terms.

### Education

- University of Mississippi School of Law — J.D. (1999)
- Bachelor's degree from the University of Mississippi in 1996 and a law degree from its School of Law in 1999.
- University of Mississippi — B.A. (1996)

### Additional information

- Service end date: 2025-01
- His term ended January 5, 2025, when he did not seek re‐election
- Joel Smith served on the Mississippi Court of Appeals from January 2021 through January 2025.
- Later confirmed in a special general election on November 8, 2022, winning without opposition.
- Before joining the Court of Appeals, Smith had a 20‐year career as a prosecutor in Mississippi’s Second Judicial District (Harrison, Hancock, and Stone counties)
- Before his appellate appointment, he worked for twenty years as a prosecutor in the Second Judicial District, which covers Harrison, Hancock and Stone counties.
- He has held leadership roles in the Mississippi Prosecutors Association, served on the Mississippi Corrections and Criminal Justice Oversight Committee, and joined the Mississippi School Safety Task Force
- Earlier, he handled corporate defense and premises-liability litigation at Bryant, Clark, Dukes & Blakeslee.
- His professional service has included leadership of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association and the Mississippi Children's Justice Act Task Force, along with teaching for law-enforcement training programs.

## 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

### electronic media coverage

Scope: statewide

Mississippi allows electronic media coverage of public judicial proceedings in appellate and trial courts of record, subject to the rules and presiding judge control.

Evidence excerpt: Electronic media coverage of public judicial proceedings shall be allowed in the appellate and trial courts of record in this state subject to the conditions below.

[Mississippi Rules for Electronic and Photographic Coverage of Judicial Proceedings](https://courts.ms.gov/research/rules/msrulesofcourt/rules_electronicphotographic_coverage.pdf)
Source checked: 2026-07-26

### presiding judge discretion

Scope: statewide

The presiding Mississippi justice or judge may limit or terminate electronic coverage when necessary to protect rights, witnesses, dignity of the court, or orderly proceedings.

Evidence excerpt: The presiding justice or judge has the discretion to limit or terminate electronic coverage at any time during the proceedings

[Mississippi Rules for Electronic and Photographic Coverage of Judicial Proceedings](https://courts.ms.gov/research/rules/msrulesofcourt/rules_electronicphotographic_coverage.pdf)
Source checked: 2026-07-26

### advance notice for media

Scope: statewide

Mississippi media representatives must provide advance notice for electronic or photographic coverage under the court rules.

Evidence excerpt: Rule 5 ... requires that media representatives give at least 48 hours

[Mississippi Rules for Electronic and Photographic Coverage of Judicial Proceedings](https://courts.ms.gov/research/rules/msrulesofcourt/rules_electronicphotographic_coverage.pdf)
Source checked: 2026-07-26


## Sources

- [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/16240/joel-smith/)
- [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/16240/joel-smith/)
- [Court of Appeals of Mississippi current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/16240/joel-smith/)
- [Mississippi Rules for Electronic and Photographic Coverage of Judicial Proceedings](https://courts.ms.gov/research/rules/msrulesofcourt/rules_electronicphotographic_coverage.pdf)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/16240/joel-smith/)
- [Court of Appeals Judge Joel Smith to be sworn in Jan. 19 - State of Mississippi Judiciary News](https://courts.ms.gov/news/2021/01.14.21Joel%20Smith%20COA%20oath.php)
- [Joel Smith - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Joel_Smith)
- [Joel Smith attorney biography](https://www.ooslaw.com/attorneys/joel-smith/)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/16240/joel-smith/)
- [Court of Appeals Judge Joel Smith to be sworn in Jan. 19 - State of Mississippi Judiciary News](https://courts.ms.gov/news/2021/01.14.21Joel%20Smith%20COA%20oath.php)
- [Joel Smith - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Joel_Smith)

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