Josh Smith at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Current assignment
- Thomas County Probate Court
- Jurisdiction
- Georgia · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Josh Smith
Judge · Thomas County Probate Court
Biography
Professional career
Education
Additional information
- In June 2025, he was appointed Deputy Director of the BOP, the first former prisoner to hold any position at the agency
- Pardon and appointment: President Donald Trump pardoned him in 2021.
- Post‐prison career: After release in 2003, he founded a business, later sold it, and created the Fourth Purpose Foundation, a faith‐based nonprofit working with incarcerated people
- He pleaded guilty in 1998 to conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine and marijuana, and served five years in a federal boot camp in Kentucky
- Joshua J. Smith was arrested in 1996 in Tennessee on charges related to conspiring to import marijuana and cocaine.
- There is no public record of a judge named Josh Smith in the provided information.
- Controversy: His tenure drew scrutiny over his criminal record, staff morale, and alleged favoritism toward inmates.
- He replaced about 70% of top BOP staff and was criticized by union representatives, though he defended his leadership style
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Recording and broadcasting
Statewide
Georgia's class-specific Uniform Court Rules govern electronic devices and recording in state trial courts. Before using recording, photography, livestreaming, or similar courtroom technology, confirm the governing rule and the assigned court's procedure.
Uniform Superior, Juvenile, Magistrate, Municipal and Probate Court RulesSupreme Court of Georgia, court orders amending Uniform Trial Court Rules ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Georgia Probate Court Rule 11 — virtual proceedings
Thomas County Probate Court
Georgia Probate Courts only. Virtual proceedings; consent, exceptions and judicial orders control. Dated 2023 source, later amendments not exhaustively certified.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Sources
Identity source checked August 25, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 26, 2026.
Supreme Court of Georgia, court orders amending Uniform Trial Court Rules
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Supreme Court of Georgia, court orders amending Uniform Trial Court Rules ↗Judicial Council of Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 25, 2026
View Judicial Council of Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts official judicial roster ↗