For only the second time, a Brazos County district judge will be serving on the Texas tenth court of appeals.
This is after Governor Abbott announced on Friday, appointing Steve Smith to fill an unexpired term that ends in December of next year.
Smith told WTAW News the appellate position “hasn’t necessarily been in my career (goals), but when the opportunity presented itself for us to have a judge on the court from the Brazos County area, I felt it would be a good idea to apply.”
The three member tenth court of appeals hears approximately 400 criminal and civil appeals a year from lower courts in eighteen counties of Texas.
The geography includes Brazos, Burleson, Robertson, Madison, Walker, Leon, Limestone, Freestone, Navarro, Ellis, McLennan, Falls, Bosque, Coryell, Hamilton, Hill, Johnson, and Somervell counties.
Smith plans on seeking a full term in the November 2022 election to the Waco-based appeals court.
Smith has presided over the 361st district court since 1999. Before that, he served as a county court at law judge and municipal judge in College Station.
Click below for comments from Steve Smith, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.
News release from Governor Abbott’s office:
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Steve Smith to the Tenth Court of Appeals for a term set to expire on December 31, 2022, or until his successor shall be duly elected and qualified.
Steve Smith of College Station is Judge of the 361st District Court in Brazos County and previously served as Judge of the County Court at Law No. 1 and as Presiding Judge and Associate Municipal Judge for College Station.
He is board certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is a member of the American Judges Association, American Bar Association, and the State Bar of Texas and its Judicial Section, where he served as chair.
Additionally, he is faculty member of the National Judicial College, former faculty member of the Board for the Texas Center for the Judiciary and the Texas Justice Court Training Center, and former faculty member and former board member of the Texas Municipal Courts Association.
He is a board member and vice-chair of Fosters Home for Children in Stephenville and former trustee for Abilene Christian University (ACU).
Smith received a Bachelor of Music Education from ACU and a Juris Doctor degree from The University of Texas School of Law.