John Joseph Smith

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John Joseph Smith (January 25, 1904 - February 16, 1980) was a politician and judge from Connecticut.

A native of Connecticut, Smith attended Yale College and Yale Law School. He worked for several years as a lawyer in private practice in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Smith, a Democrat was elected four times to represent the Waterbury area in the U.S. House of Representatives. Smith served in the House from 1935 to 1941, when he resigned after President Franklin D. Roosevelt named Smith as a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. Smith served on that court for 19 years, including as Chief Judge from 1954 to 1960.

In 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower promoted Smith to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Smith remained an active appellate judge until he assumed senior status in 1971. He died in 1980.

This article incorporates text obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of Federal Judges compiled by the Federal Judicial Center.